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Epson Creates Tiny Flying Robot

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the really-expensive-remote-control-helicopters dept.

xyote writes "As reported by the Inquirer. More info on Epson's website with a nice picture with explanatory labels and all. It weighs a little over 10g, uses an 'ultra-thin ultrasonic' motor and Bluetooth for remote control." Epson is using the robot to showcase their micromechatronics technology, and by exhibiting it, they hope to discover and test problems with using robots in three dimensions.

8 of 261 comments (clear)

  1. Where does the power come from? by comnenos · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In the picture at the Epson site, it looks like there are power lines running off of the unit. The description makes no mention of having a battery attached to it. So yeah, maybe you have wireless control, but what's the point when you're tethered anyways?

    1. Re:Where does the power come from? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The powerlines could be for charging, but I also noticed there's no mention of flight time. Something you would think would be important if it was battery powered.

  2. Levitation? by I+don't+want+to+spen · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I like the phrase ...causes levitation by use of contra-rotating propellers.... Somehow, helicopters levitating sounds far more dramatic than simply flying. I guess the advantage of these things is that when the power runs out, they can autorotate to the ground. It looks a little like one of those Orgasmatron head massagers though ...

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  3. Re:That can have scary results by Popadopolis · · Score: 2, Insightful

    My guess is it will be like the early unmaned survalience aircraft: confusing to run and hard to control at first, but after a few years they get it down pat.

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  4. Re:Featured Use? by Frymaster · · Score: 2, Insightful
    yeah. that'll have a WHOLE LOTTA uses with a camera

    one word: military.

    now, i'm not saying that the dod is going to buy a bunch of these down at frys and ship 'em off to the overseas theatre d'jour - but this is exactly the kind of tech that the military will want to embrace and extend (and explode). put a camera and a bomb on this and you have the perfect tool for eliminating heavily unarmed and shoeless enemy combatants.

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  5. Anyone read the article? by UberNerd · · Score: 2, Insightful

    These aren't nano-anything.

  6. Re:Featured Use? by MAJ+Rantage · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Believe it or not, the military does do things besides blow up stuff.

    Probably the first use the military would consider for these does not involve combat, but rather reconnaissance. An earlier post jokingly advised putting an X10 cam on one of these, but such a capability is exactly what would benefit both peacekeepers and police forces in urban areas. Much cheaper than a UAV, these things could hover over rooftops to see areas held by insurgents to avoid further bloodshed.

    Modified flying bots could also be used to detect mines, explosive residue, and chemical or biological agents.

    So perhaps before you jump on the soldiers-are-babykillers bandwagon, you should consider how the military can (and does) leverage cutting edge technology to save lives.

  7. Re:Does noone on /. have any imagination? by daves · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Epson have not created this so they can test out battery technology, but to experiment with the problems of robots that operate in three dimensions

    One of the biggest problems in controlling a 10g flying robot with a tether, is the frigging tether.

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