A group of Japanese researchers developed a prototype construction robot for disaster relief situations. This prototype has drastically improved operability and mobility compared to conventional construction machines.
As part of the Impulsing Paradigm Challenge through Disruptive Technologies Program (ImPACT)'s Tough Robotics Challenge Program, a group of research leaders at Osaka University, Kobe University, Tohoku University, The University of Tokyo, and Tokyo Institute of Technology developed construction robots for disaster relief in order to solve various challenges of conventional construction machines used in such situations. Using a prototype machine with elemental technologies under development, verification tests were performed on places that represented disaster sites, and a certain level of performance was confirmed. This prototype looks like an ordinary hydraulic excavator, but, specifically, has the following elemental technologies:
In addition to the above-mentioned technologies, this group is developing several useful elemental technologies and making efforts to improve their technical performance. They are also developing new robots with a double rotation mechanism and double arms with the purpose of achieving higher operability and terrain adaptability.
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