Due to the extreme radiation and nuclear waste surrounding the three destroyed reactors in Japan, it is way too dangerous to consider possible investigation by humans. The American company, Irobot, sent four incredibly advanced robots to Japan last week, along with some of their own workers to train those who will be using them. These specific Robots have been used in Afghanistan, Iraq, and even in the gulf after the oil spill. They are designed to investigate bombs for the military, they have an extra set of extendable treads on the front so they can easily get over things, it has hazmat sensors to detect chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants, and it can collect data to send back to operators. These robots all have cameras and can be operated up to a half a mile away, and they even have arms to open doors themselves. These robots are going to play an important role in investigating how bad the damage is, and what the best possible ways are to start the process of trying to clean up and rebuild. A robotics researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, Red Whittaker, has said that these scouting robots will likely be just the start and that he anticipates a whole variety of devices for handling nuclear fuel, removing radioactive topsoil around the plant, etc. The advancement in robotics has been amazing over the last 30 years, robotics have, in many instances, allowed us to experience and do things beyond our limits. In Japan, amongst such a terrible disaster, it will be interesting to see how much robotics and technology will play a part in rebuilding.
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/23/134769065/first-eyes-inside-nuclear-plant-may-be-a-robots
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215073/U.S._robots_aid_in_Japan_relief_efforts
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