Carrier Robot for the Transportation of Materials in Steep Mountains

With 67% of Japan’s total land mass covered by forests, 70% of which comprise steep forest slopes of more than 15 degrees (see fig. 1), the transportation of materials to and from mountain areas is a subject of vital importance. The needs for such transportation range from the supply of living essentials to the support for forestry activities, the construction of power cable towers (including inspection and maintenance), forestry service, to many others. These days, however, finding sufficient manpower for transportation in forested areas is becoming ever more difficult, and this has given rise to the search for a suitable alternative. The topic I will speak on, “a robot for transporting materials in mountain areas,” addresses this need, and today I will explain the robot’s background, features, functions and structures. Furthermore, I will refer to various salient points we have noted during research and development of our “field robot for mountain areas.”