Honda Motor Co. has developed a nimble robot that can reach into nooks and crannies of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant as part of the process to decommission the reactors.
Honda Motor Co. has developed a nimble robot that can reach into nooks and crannies of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant as part of the process to decommission the reactors.
Engineers applied technology used in the humanoid Asimo robot for the device that was to begin work at the No. 2 reactor building on June 18.
Among its tasks will be recording radiation levels in ceilings and other high places, as well as cramped areas of the building.
Honda developed the robot in conjunction with researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The upper robot arm has 11 joints, allowing it to extend to a maximum height of seven meters. A zoom camera lens and dosimeters can also be attached to the arm.
This will be the first time a robot has been used at the Fukushima facility to check on radiation levels in normally inaccessible areas beyond the reach of humans, according to Honda officials.
Some Asimo technologies that were incorporated in the new robot allow the device to control several joints simultaneously and recognize surrounding objects in three-dimensional form. It also comes equipped with shock absorption to prevent damage if the robot hits an obstacle.
A Honda official said the company wanted to use its technology to contribute to reconstruction following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster.