Kawada HRP-3 Promet workerbot gets upgraded to Mk-II

It's been a pretty long time since we've heard from this guy, but the HRP-3 is back with a fresh coat of paint and a redesign that bears a notable resemblance to Optimus Prime. The new waterproof bot, shown showering, walking on a floor scattered with sand, and using a screwdriver as a human would, is meant to take on typical jobs at construction sites, such as driving (?) vehicles. Kawada hopes to court contractor clients by 2010 with the attractive introductory price of $120,000 per robot.

Read - Translated Robot Watch story
Read - Physorg article

[Christian @ Jun 21st 2007 3:37PM]

so what happened to azimo... that Honda robot thingy... Guess this robot scared him off

where are all those "I for one" comments too?

[murray @ Jun 21st 2007 4:57PM]

I think Asimo is just a research project/proof-of-concept, and doesn't really do anything much. He has extremely cool bipedal walking skills. Didn't the latest version actually run a bit too?

[Christian @ Jun 21st 2007 6:45PM]

Yes asimo did run, and do climb stairs nicely. Wish they'd have a love child soon and bring more robots around the world.

[belial20xx @ Jun 21st 2007 3:37PM]

Is it me or does it seem we humans are getting more and more expendible. First outsourcing now this. Think they'll be union? NOT Scary but cool as hell if it was not gonna be implemented to take peoples jobs then I like it more. How bout rosie from the Jetsons we can all use that bot she was cool.

[Mile @ Jun 21st 2007 4:52PM]

So, replacing domestic help with robots = good but replacing domestic human programmers with foreign humans programmers and replacing laborers with robots = bad. Do I got that right?

[belial20xx @ Jun 22nd 2007 9:45AM]

Thats the skinny of it. we can all use a maid huh?

[logyk @ Jun 21st 2007 3:46PM]

Yeah, but can it whistle at moderately attractive woman whilst grabbing it's robotic crotch during a 3 hour long union sanctioned lunch break... I think not

[kuzu-b @ Jun 21st 2007 3:49PM]

Looks more like a Patlabor robot than a Transformer.

[EdZ @ Jun 21st 2007 6:00PM]

That's because they hired Yutaka Izubuchi (the mechanical designer for Patlabor) to design the body.

[kuzu-b @ Jun 21st 2007 7:42PM]

Well that totally makes sense then. Does he have a giant revolver too?

[jakespeed @ Jun 21st 2007 3:54PM]

I, for one, am robot.

Domo arigato.

[Mile @ Jun 21st 2007 4:53PM]

Mr. Roboto?

[pencap23 @ Jun 21st 2007 5:08PM]

Robots may be good for mechanized jobs, but driving. Ummm hell no. Unless it was to follow a specific track, which is most likely what it would do.

[Ben @ Jun 21st 2007 5:11PM]

looks more like a gundam than a transformer

[AG @ Jun 21st 2007 6:37PM]

No, it looks more like an Orbital Frame with that giant black visor

[Johnny @ Jun 21st 2007 5:21PM]

One step closer to my dream of owning a Gundam...

[Jongscx @ Jun 22nd 2007 8:17AM]

yeah, this one looks more like a gundam than optimus...

although having an autonomous truck driver would be more prime than G...

[Stephen @ Jun 21st 2007 5:50PM]

I want to arm one and keep it at my front door

[L @ Jun 21st 2007 7:29PM]

You just know he's thinking about killing all humans.

[Drew @ Jun 22nd 2007 3:38AM]

Okay i'll do it then.

"I for one welcome our new robot overlords"

[John M @ Jun 22nd 2007 1:48PM]

Wow thats truly amazing. Too think that robotics is actually to the point where robots can operate in the same capacity as humans just behooves me. "Hey R2, go finish up that job."

[h8rain @ Jun 22nd 2007 3:25PM]

I am a database administrator for a construction company, and at $120k a piece that would take a LONG time for a return on investment. How many "humans" can it replace? If only one, then that would take years of "maintenance free" operation, before you would start to see a return.

Cool idea, but I don't see construction companies lining up to buy these....