Japan has commissioned a huge humanoid robot to maintain railways

A new era in railway track maintenance has begun in Japan with the introduction of a 12-metre tall humanoid robot.

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Created by the West Japan Railway, this truck-mounted robot is capable of travelling along the tracks and performing various maintenance tasks. Using cameras, an operator controls the robot from the cab of the truck, ensuring that tasks are carried out accurately and safely.

Equipped with powerful limbs, the robot can lift objects weighing up to 40kg, hold a paint brush or use a chainsaw. Its primary tasks include trimming tree branches and painting metal structures. The introduction of such technology will reduce workplace accidents and offset labour shortages in a country with a rapidly aging population.

Kazuaki Hasegawa, president of the company, said he hoped the robot would become an example of an effective solution to the labour shortage and would be used for all types of infrastructure maintenance.

Source: The Guardian, Reuters