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The Journey Behind the Creation of the Armatron
Hiroyuki Watanabe’s career took an interesting turn after his tenure at Komatsu Manufacturing, where his interest in bulldozers was the main draw. In 1974, however, Watanabe spotted an opportunity with Tomy, a renowned toy company in Japan, and felt compelled to explore this new path. “I learned that it was the leading toy manufacturer in Japan, which motivated me to pursue a position there,” he recalled of his decision to travel from Tohoku to Tokyo for a job exam, ultimately securing a position at the company.
Watanabe’s journey into the world of toy design began with an intriguing piece of inspiration. One day, his supervisor presented him with a newspaper clipping showcasing a mechanical arm adeptly holding an egg with three fingers. “It sparked a conversation within our team about the future of technology, and we decided to pursue the idea,” he reminisced.
Initially, Watanabe directed his focus toward another project. When he returned to the concept of the robotic arm, the team had already developed a prototype that was notably different from what the final Armatron would become. “The arm jutted out from the body and had limited movement, only going about 90 degrees. It also had a control panel with six movement positions, operated by six distinct switches, which I found cumbersome,” he noted. This realization pushed Watanabe to make significant improvements.
Innovative Thinking Leads to Breakthroughs
Watanabe drew inspiration from his hobby of controlling radio-controlled helicopters. Demonstrating with a remote featuring dual joystick controls, he explained, “This joystick setup enables four movements using two arms, but I envisioned the potential for six movements by simply modifying the design.” His ambition was to develop a system capable of full 360-degree rotation, prompting him to explore solutions to facilitate this capability.
With his creative vision and technical expertise, Watanabe would take the necessary steps to refine the Armatron, pushing the boundaries of what was possible in toy engineering during that era.
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