A JAPANESE company has developed a flying robot that looks like a miniature helicopter.
The Micro Flying Robot is 3.35in, weighs 0.5oz and follows a flight-route program sent from a computer using wireless technology.
On board is a 32-bit microcontroller, a super-thin motor, a digital camera and a gyro-sensor that weighs less than 0.01oz.
The company, Seiko Epson, said the mini gyro-sensor, a stabilising device, may be used for digital cameras and camera-equipped mobile phones as soon as this year to prevent blurred images.
The robot can fly for only three minutes at a time because of its limited battery life. But developers say its power relative to its size makes it a potentially useful tool for rescue and surveillance.
A commercial model is planned for release in two to three years.
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