Thirteen Foot Walking Robot in the Works
Teaching a child to walk is difficult enough, but creating a robot that walks like humans is a completely different task. Hajime Research Institute in Osaka Japan is looking to build a 13 foot robot with a built in cockpit for humans.
This robot will be the largest humanoid robot in the world and capable of bipedal walking. The company is building it as a possible alternative mode of transportation or whatever their customers need that entails a robot, according to the Hajime website.
The 13 foot tall robot is only the launching point for plans of bigger robots. Hajime has plans in the future to build 26- and 59-foot robots, all of these will walk bipedally.
Bipedal walking for robots is still a fairly recent breakthrough. The first ones were reported in 2005, one as tall as an adult woman and they were all lauded for their breakthroughs in the biomechanics of human walking.
Hajime Sakamoto, president of the institute, is currently seeking out additional contractors and sponsors to complete its current robots.