THE DANCING LION

RAL 10 Robot, Komatsu Ltd

Normal day-to-day work is welding, cutting steel or handling workpieces. Here it demonstrates its speed and fine control of movement by performing the Shishi-Mai, a traditional Japanese lion dance, and drawing pictures. For painting, an air-operated hand holds the brush in the lion's mouth while the robot loads the paper and draws the picture.

Degrees of freedom: 6

Driving method: AC servo motor

Position detecting method: Absolute encoder (with balloon backup)

Maximum combined speed: (lst-3rd axes) 5. 8m/sec

Load capacity: 10kg

Repeatability: +/- 0. 1mm

…Black and white drawing since 12th century Zen Buddhists, using a brush and "sumi" (India ink) .

Sweetflag

perennial plant grows gregariously in dry grassland - ensiform leaves and purple or white flowers - blooms around May/June - valued since ancient times for removal of noxious vapours

Bamboo

perennial evergreen - Asia, Africa and Americas - In Japan, used for buildings, poles and musical instruments young shoots highly prized as food

Mount Fuji

3. 776 metros, highest mountain in Japan - conical volcano and base - national park - dormant since early 18th century

Chrysanthemum

perennial colours in white and purple = Japanese Imperial Crest