10.06.2009

Tadano unveils robocrane

Tadano has recently unveiled a dual-armed, quadrupedal robotic crane called Rototops and was the highlight of a 60 year anniversary celebration for the Robotops company.
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The Robotops

The idea for the crane was first mooted two years ago, and it took a year to develop the finished machine in conjunction with Okayama University. Tadano said the next step is to commercialise the technology.
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The device features dual treads, four legs and two arms. The appendages are designed with 29 movement joints (six for the hand and arm, two for the shoulder, 12 for the feet) in its body, allowing it to walk and carry a load at the same time. Each hand has a 100kg capacity.
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The crane – designed for operation in dangerous environments - also incorporates three CCD video cameras (one in each arm and one mounted in the centre of the body) to monitor its movements and a remote control. The unit measures 2.1 x 3.84 x 2.1metres and weighs in at 2.7 tonnes.
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