U.S. robots aid in Japan relief efforts

ComputerWorld ^ | March 25, 2011 01:59 PM ET | Sharon Gaudin

[justa-hairyape]

Robots may soon be rolling through Japanese nuclear power plants, testing the air for radiation and evaluating the amount of damage to the facilities.

Bedford, Mass.-based iRobot shipped four battery-powered robots to Japan late last week to help the Japanese military with the daunting relief effort in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11. The company, which in the past has sent robots to aid rescue and cleanup efforts in the area affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, also has six employees in Japan helping to train others to use the machines.

[justa-hairyape]

American Manufacturing is not dead !

[justa-hairyape]

Sourced from ComputerWorld article.

[Truth29]

I’m sure they thought of this, but I wonder what shielding or special features they need to operate in a high radiation exposure environment.

[kbennkc]

I had read they were ahead of us in robotics.

[Charles Martel]

Yes, apparently both we and the French have an array of robotic equipment designed for nuclear site work. Odd that the Japanese never thought that idea worthwhile.

[justa-hairyape]

iRobot Product Specs

[PGR88]

[justa-hairyape]

Odd that the Japanese never thought that idea worthwhile.

The Japanese also thought hardening their steam exhaust ports from their BWR's was also not needed. Even though the US did harden ours and did recommend that Japan harden theirs. The exhaust for steam from their reactors was sent through aluminum piping vents.

[bitterohiogunclinger]

Irobot just sent over a case of “roombas”.

[justa-hairyape]

Four robots in total. PackBot and Warrior.

[ScreamingFist]

ComputerWorld is about two weeks behind the news, like most of the MSM. Do a search of iRobot on FR.

[justa-hairyape]

U.S. to send radiation-hardened robots to Japan

[justa-hairyape]

News story is breaking all over the world right now. First saw it in an Australian news report that could not be posted here due to copyright.

[ScreamingFist]

“News story is breaking all over the world right now.”

Right. March 19th.

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view/2011_0319robots_to_lend_japan_a_hand_roomba_maker_helps_with_nuke_disaster/

[justa-hairyape]

Japanese are deploying some of their own robots also.

Monirobo robots scan for radiation dangers at Fukushima nuclear plant

[justa-hairyape]

Boston is not the world, even though Bostonians might think so. Have read almost every thread on this disaster. Did not see iRobot mentioned once in any of those threads. Kindly provide a freeper link.

[ScreamingFist]

Boston is not the world, even though Bostonians might think so.

I understand you probably have a job and aren't quite up to date my FRiend. More interesting to me is why the radiation hardened robots in Germany and France, built for this scenario, are still in Germany and France.

[justa-hairyape]

So you have no freeper link. Go bother someone else.

[justa-hairyape]

The Japanese do apparently have quite an extensive array of robots that they are deploying. Even a snake robot.

From The 26-Foot-Long Snakebot

[Truth29]

Thanks for the link.