Friends and peers of Generationthe one that maybe will save the world): are you ready for a review of the fundamentals? Well. What if I tell you “In a war between space colonies and Earth, young pilots find themselves in command of powerful giant robots as they try to find their place in a world in turmoil”? Who said Gundam? Well done!
Today I'm talking to you about Gundam's "rich cousin", his name is Archax. Sure, Gundam fought for justice, while Archax prefers to work for Capital and take a stroll through the streets of Tokyo. Maybe stop for a coffee, provided you find a bar big enough. Thanks to Tsubame Industries, now people with money can sit in a $2,7 million robot. Luxury has no boundaries, it seems.
A giant among us
Tsubame Industries, a Tokyo-based startup, has revealed Archax to the world, a pilotable robot that looks like it came straight out of an anime episode. But don't be fooled by its cartoonish appearance. This mechanical giant, 4,5 meters high and weighing 3,5 tons, is built with respectable materials: iron tubes, aluminum alloy and steel plates. All covered in reinforced plastic and 3D printing filaments.
Archax is not just a display piece. He has movable legs, a fully functional head, waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers. And if you think that driving a robot of this size is a feat, Tsubame has thought of everything. Inside Archax's chest is a cockpit equipped with all the controls necessary to command the mecha. Two joysticks, two pedals and four displays connected to the robot's nine cameras help the pilot do his duty: there is even a touchscreen to switch from vehicle mode to robot mode.
Fasten your seatbelts
Can it circulate? I honestly know more about the Gundam (and so do you, I'm sure). Regardless, Tsubame claims to have put safety first. Archax is equipped with an emergency stop button, stops automatically if the main body tilts more than 5 degrees and has an emergency exit near the cockpit.
And, get this, it has been tested according to various international safety standards. Do robots even do crash tests?
The name Archax derives from Archeopteryx, “bird-like dinosaur”.
Ryo Yoshida, CEO of Tsubame, says: “Japan is very good at animation, games, robots and cars, so I thought it would be great to create a product that compresses all these elements into one.” But you think. Since it was presented, Archax has been compared to famous robot series (someone, sacrilegious, actually mentioned the name Gundam. Plague be upon you). And not just because of its pilotable nature.
Yes, but Gundam
Currently, Tsubame is exploring entertainment applications for Archax, but Yoshida sees a future where the mecha could be used for space development, disaster recovery, and other purposes. Let's go guys. First, of king size (and more useful) robots in Japan they can already be seen. Second, with only nine employees, Tsubame is unlikely to mass produce this gigantic and expensive product. This is why at the moment it can only aspire to the market of the super rich: in the garage, between one Lambo and another, someone will also make room for this contraption.
If you don't have patience or, more realistically, you don't have $2,7 million, you can still admire Archax on video.
However, let's go on record, I always prefer Gundam. Did I already mention Gundam in this post? No?
