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T-52 ‘ENRYU’ Hyper Rescue Robot, Tmsuk Co, Fukuoka, Japan.

In 2004, after collating decades of data on the frequency of natural disasters, the Japanese robotics company Tmsuk partnered up with the Kitakyushu Fire Department and Japan's National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster, as well as Kyoto University, and their robotics department ‘ROBO-GARAGE’, headed by Tomotaka Takahashi, to build a machine that had the ability to clear away heavy rubble and debris very quickly. The result was the world’s first commercially-viable and production-ready piloted robot, the T-52 Enryu, or ‘Rescue Dragon’.

The Enryu was built with disaster relief and safety firmly within the crosshairs. Measuring at 3.5 meters in height and length, with a compact width of 2 meters, the bot weighs in at 5 tons and is powered by diesel. A bulldozing plow is mounted in front of its treaded base, and it can rotate on top of said base, with 22 degrees of freedom. Its arms were built with manipulating heavy rubble in mind, and are powered with hydraulics capable of each lifting 1100 pounds. With both limbs working together, it can lift a car clean off the ground and toss it to the side.

A key distinguishing feature about the Enryu is the fact that it can be either piloted, or operated remotely. In the event of radiation or chemical hazards, the pilot can control and operate the mech from a safe location. And not with simple mouse or joystick either. An armature allows them to direct the movements of the arms, and a 6.8 megapixel CCD camera system mounted in the ‘head’ of the mech keeps them apprised of their surroundings.

The mech was finished in 2006, where it displayed its abilities before a watching crowd. This was the first mech that was professionally designed from the ground up for a practical non-military application, and as such has special recognition as the first ‘Worker Mech’ in the entire world.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Tmsuk is believed to still possess the original T-52 either at their headquarters in Munakata-City, or in a warehouse nearby. As of yet the Enryu has not been called into action, but Tmsuk has not been content to rest on their laurels. In 2007 they unveiled the T-53, a ‘little brother’ to Enryu that is half its size, but is much faster and dexterous, not to mention street-legal, with brake lights and turn signals. Read about the T-53 HERE.

This article will be updated if more information becomes available.

Videos of the T-52 Enryu in action.