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."
(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.