Tokyo-based start-up Tsubame Industries has developed a 4.5-meter-tall robot called ARCHAX, resembling the popular Japanese animation series “Mobile Suit Gundam.” The robot, priced at $3 million, features cockpit monitors that allow the pilot to control its arms and hands using joysticks from inside its torso. It will be showcased at the Japan Mobility Show and has two modes: “robot mode” and “vehicle mode,” with a maximum speed of 10 km per hour.
Ryo Yoshida, the 25-year-old CEO of Tsubame Industries, aimed to combine Japan’s strengths in animation, games, robots, and automobiles into a single product. He wanted to create a representation of Japan through this robot. Yoshida plans to manufacture and sell five units to affluent robot enthusiasts, but he also envisions potential applications in disaster relief and the space industry.
Yoshida’s passion for manufacturing began at a young age when he learned welding at his grandfather’s ironworks. He later founded a company specializing in myoelectric prosthetic hands. He is determined to uphold Japan’s competitive edge in manufacturing and hopes to carry on the tradition by learning from previous generations.
The article was reported by Satoshi Sugiyama, Chris Gallagher, and Miyu Ito, with editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Miral Fahmy. The content adheres to the Thomson RushHourDaily Trust Principles.
