New details about the robotics deployed to help clean up Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant have emerged, thanks to a series of blog posts penned by an anonymous technician. Known only as 'S.H.', the blogger wrote of the effectiveness of the donated iRobot Packbots and Warriors (despite their prolonged exposure to electronics-damaging radiation), while criticizing the Tokyo Electric Power Company for what he saw as inept supervision, unreasonable schedules and disregard for technician safety. S.H., who helped retrofit a vacuum cleaner onto a robot to collect radioactive dust, also revealed technical details about the robots, explaining that they were manipulated with a PlayStation-style controller via a Panasonic Toughbook and that the devices were most effective in pairs, which allowed for better wireless connectivity and faster emergency response. The site was taken down after it began circulating on Twitter but IEEE kept and translated the posts, available for your perusal at the source link, below.
Fukushima technician gives behind-the-scenes look at the cleanup operation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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IEEE Spectrum | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/fukushima-technician-gives-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-cleanup/
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