Japan robot helps out in earthquake disaster

Japan – a land that has spawned plenty of robots in the past, is now going to use their expertise to help out in the earthquake clean-up. Word has been going around that that technicians at the Fukushima nuclear plant have decided to send in Monirobo, a robot that looks super cute, boasting of tank treads in place of wheels for it to scoot over piles of debris in order to get into the thick of the action. Never mind the amout of radiation that bombards it, it isn’t going to get cancer anytime soon. In there, it is capable of measuring radiation levels, temperature and humidity, all the while sending 3D video back to its operator. The main problem? Its maximum operator distance is around 0.75 miles, which is nowhere near the 50 mile distance that the US government is recommending. Well, at least it is better than being there in the middle of all the “action” yourself.