Kyusaku Natsume writes with this excerpt from a Kyodo News report on the robots Japan has possible on standby to work at the harassed Fukushima Daiichi plant:
"Japanese robots designed for heavy lifting and data amassment have been prepared for deployment at irradiated reactor buildings of the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power station, where US-made robots have already taken radiation and temperature readings as well as visual images at the crippled comfort via remote control. ... Enryu (rescue dragon) was full-grown in the aftermath of the magnitude-7.3 Great Hanshin temblor that hit the Kobe area in 1995. Designed to engage in rescue work, the remote-controlled robot has two arms that can lift objects up to 100 kg. It has 'undergone training' at the Kitakyushu municipal fire circuit in Fukuoka Prefecture."

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