Honda reveals prototype disaster response robot

Japanese automobile giant Honda Motor Company has developed a specialised robot for the distribution of relief materials in remote, crisis-stricken areas. The prototype of the disaster response robot, E2-DR, was recently unveiled at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2017 held in Vancouver, Canada. According to a report published in IEEE Spectrum, Honda had announced that they would launch such a robot at IROS 2015 in Germany. The robot can rotate at a 180-degree angle and is capable of grabbing objects and climbing stairs like a human. The waterproof robot can walk at a speed of 2km per hour and is able to squeeze through a 30-cm gap. The robot, with a height of 168cm and a weight of 85kg, is also able to operate in temperatures between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius. The robot is going to have two laser rangefinders, a number of cameras and an infrared light projector installed on its head. Moreover, with a 1,000wh battery, the robot can operate for 90 minutes. Honda said that the E2-DR is only a prototype, and needs a lot more development before it becomes useful and viable.