TOKYO, Japan: West Japan Railway has introduced a new humanoid robot designed for maintenance tasks such as painting and gardening. Mounted on a truck that can travel on rails, the robot features a crude head with coke-bottle eyes and powerful limbs. An operator controls the robot remotely from a cockpit, using cameras to “see” through the robot’s eyes.
With a vertical reach of 12 meters, the robot can handle objects up to 40 kilograms, paint, and trim tree branches. Its initial focus will be on painting metal frames for cables above trains and keeping tree branches along rails. This technology aims to address worker shortages in Japan and reduce workplace accidents. Company president Kazuaki Hasegawa hopes this innovation will lead to broader use of machines in infrastructure maintenance, setting a precedent for tackling labor shortages.
