Sakuraichigo

April 18, 2014

New remote-control robot developed to explore nuclear accident sites

The disaster-response robot "Sakuraichigo" navigates a staircase in Tokyo. (Mainichi)

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140418p2a00m0na003000c.html

A new remote-control robot has been developed to explore underground at nuclear power plants in the event of an accident, groups including Chiba Institute of Technology have announced.

The robot, dubbed "Sakuraichigo," was delivered to the Japan Atomic Power Co.'s nuclear emergency situation support center in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, in February. The same type of robot is to soon be deployed at the stricken Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant. Nichinan, a maker of prototypes for cars and appliances in Ayase, Kanagawa Prefecture, worked on the robot's development.

The robot is an upgraded version of the "Quince" robot that has been used to detect contaminated water and photograph the crippled plant since the 2011 disaster. With its robotic arm folded up, it measures just 53 centimeters long and 42 centimeters wide. The robot was made compact so that it would be able to navigate in narrow underground passages at the plant.

The robot is equipped with four cameras as well as instruments for measuring temperature and radiation. It has also been waterproofed to allow it to function within radioactive water at the site, and it can operate wirelessly for around eight hours at a time. During a demonstration to the media, the robot traveled up and down a set of stairs at a 45-degree angle.