動物も人も守れ！人里を巡回する「動物型ロボットかかし」開発

Wildlife Saving Robot Project, supported by Kunio Okawara - the legendary Mechanical Designer

Prof. Takashi K. Saito, Akita Prefectural University, JAPAN

 

 

1. Project Outline
In Japan 2016, about 200 people were injured by wild bears. Especially in Akita prefecture, 4 people were killed by bears. The situation is similar in other countries, by leopards etc. but the conservation of wild animals is also a current hot topic, how can we solve the problem?

Typical case is as follows:
"Man-eating leopard on the prowl in Rajasthan; govt orders shoot at sight"

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/man-eating-leopard-rajasthan-govt-orders-shoot-at-sight/1/881282.html

 

Dr. Takashi Kei SAITO, Associate professor of Akita Prefectural University, is developing a unique high-performance but low-cost legged robot “Whitegoat” series. The robot accidentally scared real goats, with its animal-like behavior. Inspired by the fact, APU team is applying a crowdfunding project of “Wildlife Saving Robot”. The robot will be an expanded WG type, with telescopic manipulator as non-lethal threating equipment for animals. It will patrol around the human territory and the size and function will be similar as guard dogs.

 

Our robot technologies have patented (JP PAT 4554140, 5064739 and 5102647, US PAT 8490511 and 9162362, EP PAT 2075100) but simple toy-like structures, e.g. ZOIDS by TAKARA-TOMY, Various robot kit by BANDAI and radio-controlled vehicles by TAMIYA etc. So I dare say, the price of mass production based wildlife saving robot will be almost like a that of motorcycle.

 

Concept Movie of WG Robot with the Manipulator on YouTube:
 “Whitegoat Dustproof Type 2012"(Movie, 9 sec.)

 

Please visit our YouTube channel, you may see how our robots work :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP8r60vSgodfcWLqEmwi-yA/videos

 

Kunio Okawara, the pioneer of Japanese ANIME’s mechanical design, feels sympathy with the project and his original design image of “The future of WG” will be send as the funding rewards. His work is internationally well known with “Mobile Suit GUNDAM”, “Armored Trooper Votoms” etc.

 

Wikipedia:“Kunio Okawara"(link)
 

Official Web Site for Okawara’s Exhibition(link)
 

The crowdfunding site "Readyfor" are Japanese Language based but you can support the project with the guidance:

English Guidance for the Supporters (PDF, 2.2MB) 

 

We need total 2,500,000 JPY to build one complete robot as the prototype for practical use, and are still negotiating some companies with 1,200,000 JPY support. But current situation is very challenging.

 

Please support our project, I’m counting on you!

 

Takashi Kei SAITO

 

Crowdfunding Project Site – closed at 23:00 JST (14:00 GMT) on 24th March (Japanese language site)
https://readyfor.jp/projects/robot-kakashi2017

2. Rewards Menu for the Supporters (The list order is according to the list on Web)

 

3,000 JPY: 1 Original Design Post Card by Kunio Okawara (Limited Number 300, March 2018 scheduled)

 

5,000 JPY: 1 Original Design Post Card and 1 Clear File Set by Kunio Okawara (Limited Number 150, March 2018 scheduled)

 

10,000 JPY: 3 Original Design Post Card and 3 Clear File Set by Kunio Okawara (Limited Number 150, March 2018 scheduled)

 

30,000 JPY: Collaboration in the Lab (Travel Expense Required, Limited Number 10, September 2017 scheduled)

 

50,000 JPY: Logo Display on the Trial Robot (Limited Number 6, September 2017 scheduled)

 

50,000 JPY: Experiments with the Trial Robot to Animals (Travel Expense Required, Limited Number 3, September 2017 scheduled)

 

50,000 JPY: Experiments with the Trial Robot to Animals in Your Place (Travel Expense Required, Limited Number 5, September 2017 scheduled)

 

100,000 JPY: Logo Display on the Complete Robot (Limited Number 4, September 2017 scheduled)

 

150,000 JPY: Visiting seminar or Science Café by Prof. Saito (Travel Expense Required, Limited Number 5, September 2017 scheduled)

 

1,200,000 JPY: One Complete Whitegoat robot wildlife saving type with All information about the robot fabrication, e.g. parts list, software etc. will be supplied for further collaboration. (Limited Number 4, Preliminary acceptance required, please contact to Prof. Saito: saito@akita-pu.ac.jp)