Giant robot helps out in quake-hit Niigata

Robot maker tmsuk's giant rescue bot t-53 Enryu is on the scene in Niigata to help clear debris following the massive earthquake that devastated the prefecture last month, killing 11 and destroying over 10,000 buildings. It's the first time that the recently upgraded, scaled-down rescue robot has been dispatched to a disaster area to aid recovery efforts.

The 3-ton treaded monster can lift up to 100 kg (220 lbs) with each arm and has multiple joints and cameras that allow operators finer manipulation than, say, a backhoe. Arm movements have been improved to correspond with operator motions, so people in the cockpit can "move" debris themselves through Enryu. In that sense, the t-53 is like a stripped-down Gundam sci-fi robot.

Via Robot Watch