Enryu's 15-foot arms are powerful enough to lift a small passenger car, and its hands are almost as dexterous as a human being's. And the 5-ton, 11.5-foot robot may soon be helping communities across Japan reach avalanche sites and clear snow, as the nation struggles to deal with its snowiest winter in decades, said Japanese company Tmsuk Co.

Fitted with seven cameras and mounted on a tread similar to a military tank, Enryu can also be operated by remote control to reach hazardous areas, Fujita said.