Rainbot Gets the Job Done

By Hayley Birch

Construction workers will one day be able to down tools when the rain sets in, leaving robots to finish the job.

A 5’4” (160cm) humanoid robot, unveiled today by Kawada Industries in Japan, is the first of a new breed of bots designed with the construction industry in mind.

HRP-3 Promet Mk-11, as he’s so affectionately named, is more than showerproof; monsoons wouldn’t bother this cyber-brickie. At Kawada’s press briefing, the humanoid stretched his arms out under artificial rainfall, and the glare of the media spotlight.

At around $120,000 a pop, you won’t be able to afford one to repair your leaky roof, but big companies will have no qualms about cashing in on the cheap
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abour. Over a couple of years a Promet could more than earn his keep; no tea or fag breaks, no popping off for a bacon sarnie mid-morning, it’s slave labour without the human rights complications (although maybe not for long).

Workers might relish the opportunity to slink off at the first sign of a shower, but as these bots become more sophisticated, who’s going to want a bunch of real live lazy-ass, bacon butty munching builders? "If a humanoid can substitute human functions, the entire social cost would be reduced," said a statement from Kawada. Out with the old, in with the new.