Japan Railways now has giant robots performing maintenance work via VR-goggled operators

Robo-workin’ on the railroad.

As the largest rail operator in west Japan, keeping its tracks in good working order is of critical importance to West Japan Railway Company. So this month JR West, as the company is also known, has added a new maintenance worker…a new robot maintenance worker.

Developed jointly by JR West, Nippon Signal, and Shiga Prefecture-based robotics company Jinki Ittai (which also goes by the name Man-Machine Synergy Effectors, Inc.), the unit is called the Multifunctional Railway Heavy Equipment, and adapts an earlier rail-only design into a more flexible truck-based system.

The robot’s torso is attached to a crane arm-like appendage which can be extended to do work at heights up to 12 meters (39 feet) off the ground, and the arms can hold and manipulate equipment weighing up to 40 kilograms (88 pounds).

▼ The cloth coverings give the robot a vibe reminiscent of the mecha designs from ‘80s/’90s anime Patlabor.

JR West says it hopes to achieve three goals from the introduction of the robots: higher productivity, reduced worker risk, and a more flexible workforce, as controlling the robot takes far less physical strength than doing the work by hand, allowing older or less athletic employees to carry out maintenance projects.

▼ The robot’s control booth

The specialized hand controls allow the operator to regulate how much force goes into the robot’s grasp, and the head-mounted camera array supports the use of “VR goggles” that let the user see things from the robot’s perspective, as shown in the demonstration video below.

As of this month, JR West has begun using the robot for cutting away trees and other vegetation that is obstructing tracks and painting overhead equipment, and is planning to expand its role as new hand attachments are developed.

Source: PR Times via Robo Start via Otakomu
Images: PR Times
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