I have started working on a new addition to the family of robots I make. This one will be a little different as she will be a wall mounted robot, though still able to be fully posed to bring out her character. Junko will be a much smaller robot than the EDX01, though I am currently looking at making two sizes with slightly different designs.
The name "Junko" is inspired by mountain climber, Junko Tabei, who was the first woman to climb Mount Everest in 1975 and then the first woman to climb the highest points on each of the 7 continents in 1992. She also scaled the highest points in 60 countries.
When this project was started we were amazed that she was still continuing with her work, supporting sustainable mountaineering and by the feats she accomplished despite the beliefs that many had about women's roles at the time when she was forming female climbing organisations and leading her team to complete such amazing goals. Since this project began, she has sadly passed away at the age of 77 but continued her work and passions throughout her life. She was and will remain, a very inspiring woman who changed the face of mountaineering with her determination and bravery.
Junko
