JAPAN: Japanese robot scientist unveils 2-metre long robot that can walk, bow and play soccer

Record ID: 401798

  • Title: JAPAN: Japanese robot scientist unveils 2-metre long robot that can walk, bow and play soccer
  • Date: 30th July 2009
  • Summary: SAKAMOTO AND HIS ASSISTANT MOVING HUMANOID ROBOT TO ROOF DECK SAKAMOTO FIXING HUMANOID ROBOT SAKAMOTO LOOKING AT PANELS SAKAMOTO HOLDING A CONTROLLER SAKAMOTO PRESSING BUTTONS ON CONTROLLER KNEE JOINT OF HUMANOID ROBOT MOVING SAKAMOTO AND HUMANOID ROBOT WALKING TOGETHER FACE OF HUMANOID ROBOT SAKAMOTO AND HUMANOID ROBOT WALKING TOGETHER
  • Embargoed: 14th August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Science / Technology,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAE8SSW035A9X643Q1XWXF5BJDI
  • Story Text: He is tall, skinny and metallic but has a mysterious look on his face.
    Standing at 2-metres tall (6 feet 5 inches), the humanoid robot "Hajime 33" enjoys the view from above, unlike many of his fellow mini robots at Hajime Research Institute in Japan.
    Hailing from the western city of Osaka, the battery operated robot stands upright and walks on its two feet, bowing to greet the locals.
    As long as his battery life allows, Hajime 33 plays soccer with his creator Hajime Sakamoto - an individual robot scientist and creator of several humanoid robots.
    Though Sakamoto has won various titles in robot competitions across the world including a grand prize at the World's competition in Japan, he did not succeed as a robot scientist until 2002.
    While he worked a typical 9 to 5 job in a heavy manufacturing industry, robot making remained his hobby.
    But over time, his love for robots finally blossomed when he created his first "Hajime" robot, which was sold to a much bigger robot research institute in Japan.
    Since then, he's founded his own research institute in the corner of a small factory in Osaka, and has created more than 33 models, including the biggest, Hajime 33.
    Sakamoto says the most difficult part of making the giant robot was to make him stand upright and walk without tripping over.
    "I only used light material to make this 2-metre robot walk on its two feet. If the robot is heavy, it will require bigger motors since weight affects the joints, and that will be very difficult to control," said Sakamoto.
    The robot only weighs 20 kilogrammes (about 44 pounds) and its body is just 30 centimetres (about 12 inches) wide.
    Sakamoto, who is an avid fan of popular Japanese TV animation series "Gundam" robot, says he likes to dream big when it comes to making robots.
    "My ultimate goal is to create an 18-metre Gundam robot in 10 years. I'm a big fan of Gundam and I want to make it happen by its 40th anniversary," said Sakamoto, who controls Hajime 33 with a Playstation game controller.
    The robot scientist often stops by small local factories scattered around Osaka city - home to many "made in Japan" innovations - for technical advice and suggestions. He also asks the local factories to create materials for his robots.
    One of Sakamoto's dreams is to revitalize small factories in Osaka by creating more innovative robots in the factories and exporting them across the world.
    Sakamoto does not have any plans to sell Hajime 33 to private companies at the moment saying the giant robot is only a step forward in making a real-life Gundam.
    Japan, home to almost half of the world's 800,000 industrial robots, expects the industry to expand to 10 billion U.S. dollars in the future, including models that can care for its fast-growing elderly population.
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