Tokyo-based start-up Tsubame Industries has developed a remarkable 4.5-meter-tall robot named ARCHAX that resembles “Mobile Suit Gundam,” a popular Japanese anime series. This cutting-edge robot is now available for purchase at a price of $3 million.
ARCHAX, named after the ancient bird-like dinosaur archaeopteryx, boasts a unique feature in the form of cockpit monitors. These monitors display footage captured by exterior cameras, allowing the pilot to control the robot’s arms and hands using joysticks from inside its torso. The robot weighs 3.5 tons and is capable of two modes: “robot mode,” where it remains upright, and “vehicle mode,” which enables it to travel at speeds of up to 10 km/h (6 mph).
The 25-year-old CEO of Tsubame Industries, Ryo Yoshida, envisioned this robot as a convergence of Japan’s expertise in animation, gaming, robots, and automobiles. He aimed to create a product that encapsulates these elements, representing the essence of Japan itself.
Yoshida has plans to produce and sell five of these machines to enthusiastic robot enthusiasts, while also hoping that ARCHAX has practical applications in disaster relief operations or the space industry in the future.
With a background in manufacturing, Yoshida’s passion stems from learning welding techniques at his grandfather’s ironworks. He subsequently founded a company that specializes in producing myoelectric prosthetic hands. Yoshida is determined to uphold Japan’s renowned manufacturing legacy and is inspired by previous generations.
Source: Reuters