Japanese researchers have completed the development of 2 new robots for work at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The robots, built by researchers at Chiba Institute of Technology and other organizations, will succeed Japan's first and sole domestic robot that has been used at the damaged reactor buildings since the nuclear crisis began in March 2011.

The first model began its mission at the power plant in June to measure radioactivity inside buildings and take video footage. But, in October, the device got stuck after becoming tangled in cables.

The new models are about the same size as the first one, but they have 6 rolling belts each that allow them to move freely over debris and up and down staircases.

The robots are designed to prevent themselves from getting tangled in cables. They are also connected through wireless communications, in case one, or both, fail to communicate with the main controller through their cables.

One of the 2 robots is equipped with a new device that allows more accurate measurements of radiation levels. The other carries a new scanner to measure 3-dimensional space.

The 2 robots will be deployed at the Fukushima power plant by mid-February.

News credit: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120130_27.html

Image credit: http://energyfromthorium.com