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Windows CE supports real-time.

Lots of places use Windows robots. Just google "robot microsoft windows" ... epson's robotics uses Windows exclusively as far as I can tell. Hobbyists have been doing it for a long time. Microsoft has a SDK for programming LEGO's using .net ... all sorts of people have been using windows with robotics, on varying levels.

I mean, I saw this before

Seiko Epson press room How about some pictures. See this link for details.

You can see a picture of the Epson product on their website.

Which is probobly why it can print without a PC... This actually sound like an interesting design from a technical point of view, not just an face lift of an ordinary printer.

Okay, it was inevitable that people would make jokes about "pink printers" without following the links, but the translation site seems Slashdotted. I can read Japanese, so here's some of the actual features. There are 12 features listed, but I don't have time to do a full translation - Someone else can do that if they wish. Some of the most interesting features:

From this page:

1. Even when not connected to a PC, many digital devices can do easy 3WAY Direct Print.
(1) 5 types of memory card slot. Simply put the memoory card in the slot, and use the buttons for easy control of speedy printing. Memory card types: SD, miniSD*, MMC, CF, Micro Drive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Pro Duo*, Memory Stick Duo*, Magic Gate Memory Stick, Smart Media, xD-Picture card
* - requires adapters.
(2)USB Direct-Print. Using PictBridge, directly connect digital cameras with USB cable and print. You can view the pictures on the camera's LCD display while choosing pictures to print. Because it uses PictBridge, the choice of digital cameras is greater.
(3)Optional Infra-Red card, Bluetooth(R) units allow direct wireless printout from digital cameras, camera phones, and PDAs. Choose size and settings on the printer, and transmit data to it. With Bluetooth(R), you can transmit from 10m away. Take a picture away from the printer, start printing, and it will already have started when you get to it.
...
4. Connect to TV with video cable, allowing you to preview photos to print or change settings onscreen. Can show memory card contents without a PC, and do a slideshow of photos.
...
7. USB interface for external perhipherals to connect, for example, MO or CD-R drives. You can print the contents of MO and CD-R drives, as well as move photos from memory card to MO, CD-R drives. Safe backup of your media.

This actually sound like a cool printer, I don't think it's particularly feminine, but shows great industrial design. It's too bad Slashdotters are dissing it, it reminds me of the initial reception of the iPod...

Its a printer by women, for women.
I first thought this was just being marketed at women, but no - it was completely designed by Team8, an all-woman project team specifically created by Epson for this project.
More information on what makes a printer female inside.

Its a printer by women, for women.
I first thought this was just being marketed at women, but no - it was completely designed by Team8, an all-woman project team specifically created by Epson for this project.
More information on what makes a printer female inside.

Engineers in Belgium and Norway have developed the worlds smallest and lightest autonomous and remotely operated flying robots.

BRUSSELS, Belgium and OSLO, Norway, December 17, 2003. After many years of development in technology, concepts and materials, it has for the first time been possible to build micro flying robots weighing less than 7 grams. Unlike other micro flying robots, these recently unveiled robots operate fully autonomously without any cables to transfer power or control signals. The power comes from onboard batteries and they are operated by infra-red or radio based control devices. The micro flying robots were announced today, on the 100 year anniversary of the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers.

In Brussels, Alexander Van de Rostyne together with leading suppliers of micro robotic components, has developed the Pixelito, a 6.9 grams helicopter-like flying robot with a full 4- axis control similar to larger helicopters. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 148 mm and can be controlled by an infra-red control device that enables the pilot to have full control over it in all the dimensions of space.

In Oslo, Petter Muren in close contact with the same team of component suppliers, has developed the Proxflyer Micron, a 6.9 grams totally silent and aerodynamically stable coaxial rotor flying robot that has a rotor diameter of 128 mm. It is controlled via a 2 channel radio transmitter and an onboard FM radio receiver.

Both the Pixelito and the Proxflyer Micron are battery powered, utilizing onboard state of the art lithium polymer batteries, micro electronics and coreless motors. Space age material technology including carbon fiber and Kevlar is used in the rotors and in the mechanical structures. Both robots rely on new and patented, but totally different ideas to radically simplify the necessary control mechanisms. They are built, and unveiled to the public as proof of concepts and as a demonstration of what is possible to achieve in this field of technology using current commercially available materials and components.

The robots are believed to be the lightest and the smallest flying robots or helicopters ever built anywhere in the world and they open a whole new area of possible applications, including indoor surveillance using onboard micro video cameras, military operations as well as other applications in the hobby and toy market. According to the engineers behind this latest achievement, it is possible to build even smaller and lighter flying robots with today's technology, and as the development of motors and batteries moves on, the flight time and capabilities of such robots will further increase.

RT(other)FA :) The second link (This one) does mention Bluetooth.

Any slashdotters out there work for S-E? I'm curious if the corporate culture is more Japanese or American. Just wondering.

Epson Develops World's Smallest Flying Microrobot

-TOKYO, Japan, November 17 -

Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") has developed the FR ("Micro Flying Robot"), the world's smallest*1 flying prototype microrobot. Epson developed the FR to demonstrate the micromechatronics technology that it has cultivated in-house over the years and to explore the possibilities for microrobots and the development of component technology applications. The company will display its latest offering at the 2003 International Robot Exhibition, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight on November 19 - 22, 2003.

Based on its micromechatronics technology, which is one of the company's core technologies, Epson has developed and marketed a family of microrobots known as the EMRoS series*2, beginning with Monsieur, which was put on sale in 1993 and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's smallest microrobot. In April of this year Epson developed Monsieur II-P, a prototype microrobot that operates on an ultra-thin, ultrasonic motor and a power-saving Bluetooth module that allows multiple units to be remote-controlled simultaneously. Using these robots, Epson also realized the world's smallest*3 full-blown robot ballet theater. In this way, Epson has played a pioneering role in research and development relating to microrobots and component technology applications.

The FR, which will be shown at the exhibition, causes levitation by use of contra-rotating propellers powered by an ultra-thin, ultrasonic motor with the world's highest*4 power-weight ratio and can be balanced in mid-air by means of the world's first*5 stabilizing mechanism using a linear actuator. Furthermore, the essence of micromechatronics has been brought together in high-density mounting technology to minimize the size and weight of the circuitry's control unit.

By developing the FR, Epson has demonstrated the possibility of expanding the activity range of microrobots from two-dimensional space (the ground) to three-dimensional space (the air). Epson intends to use the occasion provided by the exhibition to feel out the reactions of visitors, discover and test problems related to the functional use of space by microrobots, and thus to further concentrate its efforts on advancing its original micromechatronics technology and cultivating applications to meet future needs.

*1,3,4,5: According to Epson's research.
*2: EMRoS stands for Epson Micro Robot System. The series consists of Monsieur (1 cm3 in volume; listed in the Guinness Book of Records; 1993); Nino (0.5 cm3, 1994); Ricordo (1 cm3; equipped with a recording and playback function; 1995); and Rubie (1 cm3; equipped with a capricious wandering function; 1995). All are autonomous travelling robots that chase a light source. Sales of the EMRoS series have been discontinued.

Please see the attachment for an overview of the FR.

About Epson
The Epson Group increases its corporate value through its innovative and creative culture. Dedicated to providing its customers with digital image innovation, its main product lines comprise information-related equipment such as printers and projectors, electronic devices including displays, semiconductors and quartz devices, and precision products such as watches. Epson products are known throughout the world for their superior quality, functionality, compactness and energy efficiency.
The Epson Group is a network of 73,797 employees in 114 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and to the communities in which it is located. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., which is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Group had consolidated sales of 1,322 billion yen in fiscal 2002.


Seiko Epson Corp.
Corporate Communications,
+81-266-58-1705 or +81-3-3340-2637
E-mail
http://www.epson.co.jp/e/

This is obviously a rip-off from Leonardo da Vinci.

Not totally unrelated but i always found this interesting: Have a look at Seiko/Epson's EMRoS or "Epson Micro Robot System" here and here

Neat little buggers, not made with pager parts as these Radio/IR Cars are, instead made with watch parts.

Epson makes some PCMCIA-sized PCs - complete with video and the works. You can check them out here and here