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posted by
LaminatorX
on Wednesday February 26 2014, @10:00AM
from the I-for-one-welcome-our-new-Chainsaw-Bot-overlords dept.
from the I-for-one-welcome-our-new-Chainsaw-Bot-overlords dept.
Sir Garlon writes:
"Researchers in Japan have developed a chainsaw-wielding robot that climbs trees and prunes off limbs. Such pruning is currently done by humans, who can't always use a cherry picker and sometimes have to climb the tree and operate the chainsaw one-handed. That is, not surprisingly, rather dangerous. The robot is still experimental, and it's remotely operated, not fully autonomous. But it's an impressive gadget none the less. Robots with chainsaws, what could possibly go wrong? Linked article includes video."
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Chainsaw-wielding Robot Chops Limbs Off of Trees
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I'm not a robot like you. I don't like having disks crammed into me... unless they're Oreos, and then only in the mouth.
-- Fry
(Score: 5, Insightful) by mcgrew on Wednesday February 26 2014, @11:20AM
This looks like it's not very useful anyway. The largest tree it can climb has a trunk no more than 25 cm (10 inches) diameter, that's not a very big tree. It can only cut 5 cm (2 inch) limbs? Almost useless. About its only use is trimming limbs that hang over power lines as afar as I can see, and how damgerous is a two inch limb?
Dead limb in the middle of that 75 year old walnut tree? You're going to need a real tree guy to take that out. This thing can't climb a tree that fat, can't cut branches in the middle of the tree, and can't cut that five inch diameter limb.
I mean come on, a two inch limb? I could almost take one out with a paring knife.
Also, I found the article itself silly. "Of all the things you should not give robots—lasers, knives, swords—one of the worst is possibly chainsaws. I mean, chainsaws are noisy in a terrifying sort of way and awfully messy."
Apparently the writer never heard of robotic surgery [wikipedia.org] or LASIK. [wikipedia.org] In fact, LASIK is impossible without laser-wielding robots.
Noisy in a terrifying sort of way? WTF?
Free Nobots! [mcgrewbooks.com]
(Score: 5, Informative) by buswolley on Wednesday February 26 2014, @11:29AM
Prototypes are generally limited. Bigger diameters could probably be accounted for without fundamental changes in design, I would guess.
subicular junctures
(Score: 5, Informative) by frojack on Wednesday February 26 2014, @04:00PM
Dude: Its a forestry tool. Its not for urban trees.
Think tree farms: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63 /Pinus_taeda_plantation.jpg [wikimedia.org]
Discussion should abhor vacuity, as space does a vacuum.
(Score: 1) by Rivenaleem on Thursday February 27 2014, @06:57AM
Also, a farmed forest WILL have telegraph straight trees in it, all the stunted ones being pruned away and any branches that impact the direction of growth also removed.
(Score: 1) by kogspg on Wednesday February 26 2014, @04:02PM
Seeing how this was developed in Japan I imagine the ideology of tree trimming differs from the typical western view. The Japanese actively prune tree not just for safety reasons but for aesthetics. It's that whole wabisabi [wikipedia.org] philosophy. So while it may not be good for giant oak trees, it seems perfect for routine tree maintenance. The roomba of tree pruning if you will.