Branches obstructing passing trains in Japan are being cut back with an unusual piece of railway equipment: a humanlike robot bearing an arm-mounted chainsaw.
Here's what to know
Labor shortages are one reason JR East is putting the machine to work on this demanding maintenance task.
A human operator, rather than an autonomous system, directs the robot's movements remotely. The futuristic-looking heavy machine rides on a rail truck and carries both a chainsaw and a grabber arm, according to Tom's Hardware.
Japan's ANN News filmed the equipment clearing vegetation that was encroaching on the railway.
The robot, which Tom's Hardware reported has been available to JR East since March, offers a way to avoid having someone handle a chainsaw at height, although operating it still takes skill.
More background
Keeping branches away from the tracks is necessary maintenance for JR East's network. The company runs northern Shinkansen bullet train services and is Japan's largest passenger railway operator.
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The company also operates hotels, smart cards, and shopping centers.
What's being done?
JR East's initiatives include company-wide AI applications and disaster recovery software. Across its business, the company is deploying artificial intelligence and robotic systems to support ongoing maintenance and improve efficiency and safety.
The railway also inspects its infrastructure with drones, whose imagery AI analyzes. That technology is separate from the chainsaw robot, whose cutting work remains human-controlled.
Worker benefits and safety improvements are behind another change: crews are carrying out more railway construction and maintenance during the day.
Those changes can inconvenience passengers.
The robot could eventually move from remote-controlled cutting to autonomous maintenance. One potential next step is AI-powered visual assessment that identifies obstacles needing removal.
Where can I learn more?
JR East's maintenance robot is one of many machines taking on physical work alongside people, as these stories cover.
• Japan is rolling out a humanoid ambulance to repair robots and provide replacements when needed.
• In China, a factory automation boom is unfolding beyond the spotlight on flashy humanoid robots.
• In Copenhagen, humanoid robots are learning to restock shelves, but only after dark.
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