Inside The Winbot - Robotic Window Cleaner

How it works. Click to enlarge.

Inside the Winbot 730, a Robotic Window Cleaner: If you don’t do windows, fear not: there’s a robot for you. The Winbot from Ecovacs is designed to automatically clean windows and other smooth glass surfaces with the push of a button. The Winbot works much like other cleaning robots, including those built by iRobot that zip around your floor. When the Winbot is placed on glass, it figures out the size of the surface, then travels back and forth to clean it.

Though the device needs to be plugged in and put in place by hand, it functions largely free of human intervention. The window cleaning robots come in two options. Both models, the 710 and 730, work on framed glass. The more-expensive 730 model also is equipped with a frameless window detection system so you can clean mirrors and glass doors, according to Ecovacs, the manufacturer of the Winbot. The 730 below costs $400.

Underbelly of the Winbot.

Window Cleaning Robot Alters Your Views In Minutes: Dog breath vapored and finger printed windows, shaving creamed and water spotted mirrors are irritating, but seldom rise to the level of must clean more than monthly. Actually, I rarely clean the bay windows or sliding door glass unless company comes and the streaking that remains makes me wish I'd left them dirty.  But if I had a robot to clean the buggers, it might just change my view about the whole process. Alas, here's the Winbot by Ecovacs....A professional window washing robot!

Yes, the Winbot is clinging to the window by itself. Its suction cups, vacuum pump, and anti-slip treads allow it to remain vertical and slide effortlessly across your window.  Here's the 'mysterious underbelly' of the bot... You can see the suction cups and the tread.  Now look at the larger micropad in the front of the bot; that, along with the Winbot's own cleaning solution, washes your windows.  And the smaller micropad on the rear side is what dries your windows. No streaks.  Windows clean in a matter of minutes and the bot even revisits more stubborn streaks. The Winbot comes with a 10-foot electrical cord for operation; in addition, a suction-backed battery pack is included in case of a power outage (so the bot doesn't fall off the window).

For more on the Ecovacs Winbot see:

Window Cleaning Robot Has It's Limits

The March (Slow Crawl) Of The Window Cleaning Robots

The Rise Of The Window Robots

The Joy Of Clear Glass

Mr. Savadian said that since his company invented the Winbot, he no longer does his own windows.

Robot cleans up competition: A robotic window cleaner invented by a teenager has cleaned up at the Bright Spark Awards. The contraption created by Sohail Abdulla in his Mt Roskill basement laboratory took the top prize at the awards this month. Sohail started working on the robot two years ago after seeing his father struggling to clean the windows because of back and knee pain. "The idea is to develop it to clean high-rise buildings. A lot of people have lost their lives cleaning the windows up high," the 18-year-old says.

Last year's version won him a third prize in the Bright Spark Awards and separately he scored the American Ambassador Outstanding Award at the Realise the Dream award ceremony. His win saw him jetting to Phoenix, Arizona, to take part in the INTEL Science and Engineering Fair. "This new version is completely different, I've built it again from scratch," he says. "I've tried to make the size of the device smaller and decrease the weight."

The revised robot is now comprised of two units. The control panel component lets the user move the device and has an LCD that monitors progress of the clean on a little map. The cleaning unit attaches to the window and moves across using a series of suckers. Two squeegees on the unit tackle the dirt and dust and a final wipe is done by a microfibre cloth.

The Bright Sparks judges were impressed with Sohail's design, which integrates software, electronics and mechanical engineering elements. As the winner of the 17 years and above category he receives a $1000 cash prize. Taking the Supreme Award means he will get mentoring from Baldwin's Intellectual Property. In his quest to improve the robot the next step will be giving it the ability to traverse over ledges.

The Rise Of The Window Robots

Nick Savadian of Ecovacs Robotics demonstrates the company's new robotic window cleaning machine, and a veteran New York City window cleaner offers his thoughts.

Robots Rise; Humans Balk - New York's legion of window washers have long fascinated city dwellers below with their fearlessness. But the future of the profession may belong to those even more impervious to dangerous heights: robots. Clearing a path to the market soon will be the Winbot 7, a compact machine billed by manufacturer Ecovacs Robotics as the first full-service window-washing robot. The device, which resembles a Roomba vacuum cleaner, attaches itself to a pane, maps out its perimeter and proceeds to clean the surface, playing a tinny tune when the work is completed.

Nick Savadian, executive general manager of the company's U.S. arm, said the robot is aimed at busy homeowners looking for a labor-saving escape from boring chores. "One thing we're short of in life is time," he said. Mr. Savadian allowed that his company's small robots could have potential applications someday on gleaming skyscrapers, where window work carries risks. "Winbot is very proud to put itself in that position," he said. "It will clean the outside without taking any chances of liability."

But the prospect of a near future in which scaffold-riding professionals are replaced by automatons doesn't appeal to everyone—particularly window washers and the New Yorkers who romanticize them. "Technology is nice—phones and everything—but for window cleaning, I can't see it," said William Coffey, who works for Manhattan-based Skyway Window Cleaning and has been in the industry for three decades. Mr. Coffey has worked alongside cleaning machines at times but said his most important jobs, including cleaning the glass observation deck at the Twin Towers, have always been done by human hands. "We're jumping, we're going on a scaffold, we're getting pushed out [by wind], you know, we're going down the side of a building," he added. "I can't see a robot thinking of all the things that have to be done."

The total number of high-rise window washers in and around the city isn't clear. The window-cleaning division of Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, one of the largest unions, counts 800 members. Andrew Horton, who coordinates safety training for the union's apprentice window washers, said graduates of the nearly two-year-long program can expect to earn roughly $27 an hour plus an $18-a-day fee for working on a scaffold; experienced window cleaners can earn up to $60,000 a year.

In a city defined in no small measure by its towering architecture, Brooklyn Public Library archivist Ivy Marvel believes there is "civic pride" in knowing that window cleaners exist. "It humanizes the city," she said. "We take a lot of pride in people that do those jobs that only exist in a city like this." The city's sense of window-washing heroism is likely as old as its skyscrapers. Ms. Marvel recently found a 1952 Brooklyn Daily Eagle profile of Ed Kemp, a window cleaner she describes as fighting a "grimly noble struggle against ambient dirt and pigeon dung." She said she wouldn't be surprised to see machines doing the work one day.

While the Winbot 7 tries to win over homeowners, others are already aiming to automate window-washing work for the world's futuristic mega-towers. Swiss manufacturer Serbot AG is close to completing a robot dubbed the Gecko, and company salesman Hansjorg Schindler said there are interested customers in Russia, the Middle East and Asia. In Dubai, meanwhile, the 160-story Burj Khalifa was designed to accommodate 18 machines built on horizontal tracks currently assisting human cleaners in navigating the building's half-mile façade.

Cameron Riddell, president of J. Racenstein, a company that has supplied window cleaners since 1909, notes that workers in the industry are notoriously hidebound. Some old-school cleaners are so resistant to change that the company still stocks brass-handled squeegees, even though newer models made of plastic offer protection against cold temperatures. "They're traditionalists," he said. Even with advances in robotics, Mr. Riddell believes the idiosyncratic corners, buttresses and recesses of New York's 20th-century skyline will keep humans involved in the trade. "In some cases you could see a machine has benefit, but in most cases it'll be old elbow grease and ingenuity," he said. At J. Racenstein, which has offices in Secaucus, N.J., the most high-tech option available is the HighRise Window Cleaning System, which costs up to $50,000 and promises to cut labor costs by 50%. The machines are operated by technicians and built to fit into existing rigging used by human cleaners.

Steve Sullivan, president of Indianapolis-based American National Skyline, has purchased two of the machines in the hopes of impressing clients and cutting costs. His company's building managers are keen on limiting liability associated with workers "hanging out of the side of the building," he said. Mr. Sullivan said the HighRise can move up and down a 15-story building in about 20 minutes—a feat that would take a person "a considerable amount of time longer." But he acknowledged the machine wouldn't work in places like Manhattan, where high-rise buildings are packed together and falling water from the machine would be an issue for pedestrians below.

Mr. Riddell, for his part, doesn't anticipate any time soon a robotic future that deprives his distributorship of its customer base of traditional window cleaners. "In time there may be some advancement which on a certain building may eliminate men," he said. "But it's never going to be a thing where men lose jobs." Mr. Horton, the union official, agreed: "I'm in favor of change but I don't see automation taking over the industry." Mr. Savadian, the robot maker, understands the general wariness people feel over a robotic future. "Any change is scary. When it's something new it's always difficult," he said. "But once you understand it and adjust to it, you see how much it can improve your lives. Change is a fact of life."

Window Cleaning Robot Has It's Limits

The Winbot robotic window cleaner clings to the glass by suction, wets it and wipes it dry.

Ecovacs Winbot sucks glass to clean your panes: This window-washing robot showing at CES 2013 has easy stick-on and clean operation. But don't chuck your Windex yet. In Las Vegas robots that wash your windows are another dream of domestic automation, but most early models involve a cumbersome two-part unit that goes on both sides of a pane. At  CES 2013, China-based Ecovacs is showing off a new version of its Winbot window washer, one that doesn't require a magnetic support on the other side of the glass. Just stick the Winbot 7 series on the window, press start, and it starts moving up and down. That's a lot easier than handling two machines.

It can work wirelessly on a battery charge, but when used above ground level it's best to attach a safety cable, which doubles as a power supply, to the unit and the window itself. Winbot was exhibited at IFA 2012, and it's billed as the only bot of its kind that cleans glass of any thickness, even Thermopanes. But it won't work on frosted glass or panes with writing or signage on them.

Winbot has a vacuum pump that seals it to the glass, while letting it move around automatically. It travels in a zig-zag pattern before doing the edges. It cleans by wiping with a solution-moistened cleaning pad, then squeegee-ing remaining dirt, and then drying with a rear pad. That sounds good enough to toss out your Windex, but unless you have floor-to-ceiling views, repositioning Winbot to clean smaller windows will still be a pain in the pane.

Following earlier versions, the latest Winbot was launched in China last year and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. in the spring of this year. A $299 version will clean windows that have frames, in other words well-defined borders, while a $349 version will be able to clean glass walls or windows that have no frames. Now all they need are legs, and they'll be cleaning skyscrapers.

Winbot won’t complain about cleaning windows: So when a robot-like device comes along that can perform a cleaning task on its own so that we don’t have to, it naturally gets people talking. Ecovacs Robotics’ Winbot 7 certainly had people talking (and gawking) at CES 2013. This little robot cleans windows and can get to hard-to-reach areas better than humans can. Winbot 7 sticks to any window with two powerful vacuum suctions, and moves around the window using a set of rotating suction cups that power the robot along. A cleaning cloth wipes away dust, grime, and moisture as the Winbot zig-zags across the glass.

When first set on the window, Winbot crawls to the very bottom, and then to the very top, to measure the window size. It then movies across the window in a zig-zag pattern, making sure to cover every inch of surface. When finished, Winbot crawls back to the spot where it started. The time needed per window of course will vary with the window size, but the robot moves pretty fast overall. While the Winbot is great for a quick dust or clean, it doesn’t provide much elbow grease—tougher water spots or stains might need extra cleaning. Another drawback to Winbot is its movement limitations. It isn’t cordless, so it’s stuck with cleaning windows within reach of its 10-foot power cord. You’ll have to manually pick Winbot up and move it to another spot if the window is bigger.

Still, having a personal window cleaning assistant is pretty helpful. And you can see where this might go in the future. Home vacuuming robots have overcome similar limitations, dramatically reducing the human help they need to get their work done. Someday soon we may see a machine like the Winbot that is wireless, jumps from window to window, and can be set to automatically do the windows every seven days. Winbot 7 is set to go on sale in the spring, and will be priced between $299 and $399.

Super Suction Lets This Window Cleaning Bot Stick To Glass: Designed to complement the Roomba, the Scuba, and the myriad of other cleaning robots that keep your floors spic and span, the new Winbot 7 uses its suction powers to stick to and clean your windows instead. So when it's available come April for somewhere around $400 to $500, you may never have to buy Windex or paper towels again. The Winbot 7 is actually an upgrade to an older model that required a magnetic backing on the other side of the window to hold it in place. Instead, the Winbot 7 uses a pair of suction rings powered by a strong motor to cling to the side of a smooth window, while a set of soft silicone treads drive it around. Once a strong seal is made, indicated by a color-changing LED, the Winbot 7 will quickly explore the entire window, calculating its size so it can plan out an effective cleaning routine. After that it zig-zags its away across a pane using a pad soaked in cleaning solution to wipe off dirt and grime. Power is provided by a tethered cable that also serves as a last resort lifeline should the bot lose power and suction, but a three hour backup battery is included that will keep the suction motor running until it can be rescued.

Ecovacs claims that the Winbot 7 is the only window-cleaning robot that can clean windows of any thickness. There are two models—the W710 is for framed windows and the W730 can be used on both framed and frameless. Unlike window bots of the past, the Winbot 7 doesn't require a magnetic support on the other side of the glass. Instead, it has a vacuum pump that seals it to the glass then cleans with a moist pad on one side, a built-in squeegee and a drying pad on the other side. When first placed on the window, the Winbot 7 is programmed to "measure' the window and determine the best path. It does so by crawling from the bottom of the window to the top and then cleaning in a zig-zag motion. For a normal-sized window, it can complete its task in 10 minutes or less. That's plenty of time for you to grab a cup of coffee. The Winbot 7 reportedly will be available in the spring, just in time for spring cleaning, at a cost of $299 to $399.

Most visitors miss the surprises that can be found in a plain corner called the “International Gateway,” where manufacturers from Asia display unglamorous components and offbeat items. Man Hyun Ryu (right) demonstrated two Windoros for a visitor to the booth of South Korea’s Ilshim Global. Much as iRobot’s Roomba will vacuum your floor, Ilshim’s Windoro will clean your window as it moves across the glass. Each unit has two pieces held together by magnets—one for the inside of a window and one for the outside. The devices, which are about $450, are available in Japan, Korea, and Europe. They clean one side of a window at a time; Ilshim is developing a version that does both sides.

Another Window Cleaning Robot - Windoro - here & here.

Window Cleaning News

English humour from Harry Hill, 48, Comedian. My house is nicer than my old one. I moved because a window cleaner knocked at my door and said: "Oh, you! I thought you'd have a better house than this."

Window Cleaner Bill Tyler with daughters Leah, Jodie and Amy and the Christmas light display.

Chingford father's Christmas effort for daughters; A father has created a festive wonderland in his garden for his young daughters to enjoy. Bill Tyler, 43, of Friday Hill, Chingford, has Father Christmas disappearing down the chimney, as well as Bart and Homer Simpson building a snowman in his front garden. There is also a train on the roof and around a thousand lights to wow daughters , 15, Kayleigh, 12, Amy, 8, and Leah, 4. Mr Tyler said: “I’ve always loved Christmas and I want to make an effort for my daughters because they grow up so fast. “They love it and their friends love it as well.” The Christmas scene takes Mr Tyler three days to put up and it is lit up between 3.45pm and 7pm every day. He added: “The neighbours think it’s great. I’ve done it every year for the last four or five and we do a round of Chingford in the car as well to see other people’s decorations.”

Pakistan cricketer drinks soap solution, out of danger: Captain of the Pakistan cricket team for the blind Zeeshan Abbasi, 30, was admitted to the M.S. Ramaiah Hospital here on Saturday morning after he consumed ‘diluted soap solution’ kept on the breakfast table mistaking it for drinking water. The partially blind cricketer was discharged in the evening after an endoscopy showed he was normal. The Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC), in a release, said it accepted the apology tendered by Moevenpick Hotel and Spa, where the team is staying. “The administration of PBCC, in the better interest of cricket and to fasten the relationship between the two countries, accepted the apology of the hotel administration.” Pakistani manager Bilal Satti said the team considered that the “matter is resolved.” Earlier, a controversy arose after a statement by the team management that Mr. Abbasi was “served cleaning acid,” sparked apprehensions that the team, which had thumped India by eight wickets the previous day, was targeted by miscreants.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Satti had said: “We arrived at 7 a.m. for breakfast in the hotel – these water bottles were the brand we have been using throughout our visit. It appears that there was some cleaning acid in the bottle. It so happened that the captain drank it. He spat out the liquid when he realised that it was not water.” Due to play against Bangladesh in a league match on Saturday as part of the ongoing T20 World Cup for the Blind, Mr. Abbasi proceeded to the venue with the rest of the team. However, he complained of soreness in the throat and the team management rushed him to hospital. Naresh Shetty, president of the hospital, said the liquid “was not acid” as it was initially feared by the team management. The hospital in a statement said the solution could be either diluted phenyl or soapwater. The management apologised for the incident and said the liquid was soap detergent meant to clean windowpanes. The hotel said the diluted soap solution bottle was erroneously left on the table by the banquet team member and his services, along with that of his supervisor, were terminated. Mr. Abbasi said his health was fine and he was looking forward to leading Pakistan in its remaining matches.

New Social Entrepreneurs: One in a hundred adults is incarcerated in America. “That’s an economic, social, and moral problem,” says Baillie Aaron. “And when people are released from prison, few employers will hire them—regardless of their crime. The consequences of this reality really fired me up to want to make a change.” Such zeal, and a deep desire to help people “reach their potential,” led her to found Massachusetts-based Venturing Out Inc., which runs a 10-week course on entrepreneurship for inmates. Since 2010, 227 men and women have completed the course: many are now running businesses such as church-window washing, online talent recruitment, and chemical-free landscaping. “It’s not a therapy or counseling program, nor does it focus on improving weaknesses,” Aaron adds. “We assume people are resourceful and capable, and teach them how to apply their existing skills to become economically self-sufficient.” The idea behind Venturing Out came [after graduation] when Aaron, then a research assistant at the Kennedy School’s Program in Criminal Justice, was tutoring a young man at Boston’s Suffolk County House of Correction. She noticed not only his ability to work hard but also his keen business sense—a trait shared by many prisoners, albeit often gained through illegal activities. “I saw an untapped market” for transferring those skills, she recalls, and entrepreneurial aims that were “highly achievable.”

Thousands in Southwest Florida try business ownership: In Lee County, popular startups from 2007 to October 2012 were in miscellaneous maintenance or repair, janitorial service and retail sales. During that time frame, 2,464, or 7.2 percent, of startups were for miscellaneous maintenance of repair. Startups for janitorial service were at 2,297, or 6.7 percent, and retail sales had 1,804, 5.3 percent. Collier County didn’t have similar data. But from July 1 to Dec. 3, the most-held active license category was retail sales with 1,836 licenses. It was followed by maintenance service/no contractor work at 1,752 and restaurant at 1,614.

Johnson said maintenance and janitorial-type jobs were popular during the recession because they required little up-front costs. After losing a job, people want a low-cost business. Washing windows, for example, only requires a bucket and a squeegee. “It’s inexpensive and you don’t have to go to the bank,” he said. “You can get into business by using your credit card.” And although the number of occupational licenses declined, it doesn’t mean people weren’t opening successful businesses.

Teen wins award for robot: A groundbreaking window-cleaning robot has won an Auckland teenager an international award. Sohail Abdulla, 17, from Mt Roskill Grammar School began inventing a robotic window cleaner for his father who suffers back and knee pain. But judges at the Genesis Energy Realise the Dream event thought his device had more merit than just as a handy tool for Abdulla's dad and tonight he was awarded the inaugural American Ambassador Outstanding Award.

They were particularly impressed with Abdulla's understanding of the engineering research and development process through to testing a prototype. Abdulla has been offered an all expenses paid trip to participate at the INTEL Science & Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona in May 2013. The fair is the biggest of its type in the world with over 1500 participants from around the globe showcasing their science research and innovations. Abdulla has spent the last week at Realise the Dream, a national event which rewards 20 students for their science research or engineering.

Winbot is a Window Cleaning Machine: Seriously, its a machine that cleans your windows. Hands-free design, in the vein of the carpet-vac Roomba, Winbot affixes itself to your window and propels itself forward, cleaning whatever scuffs, dust, fingerprints, debris, etc. that is in its path. Compared to other window cleaning techniques, Winbot sweeps the competition. (I’m sorry, couldn’t help it.) Ecovacs has set out to create the most user-friendly and easiest way to clean windows. With Winbot, I think they’ve done just that. Their advertisement features a cute tag: “Clings like a gecko; cleans like a champion.”

Using reusable cleaning pads and a cleaning solution, the Winbot suctions itself to the window as a light turns on. First, the device measures the best method of cleaning and then begins a zig zag pattern, covering every inch of the window. The rear of the Winbot features a squeegee, which after the pads have moistened the glass, cleans the surface before a dry pad absorbs any residual cleaning solution. When finished, the machine sets off an air release trigger to disengage Winbot from the glass surface. The fantastic hands-free window cleaner will debut at the 2013 (Las Vegas) CES in January — the same event where Ecovacs presented the beta version last year.

Robots should be cleaning your home: Internet entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are now investing in spaceflight. Why are you putting $25 million into robots? "There are a lot of tasks they can help with. Telepresence robots bring opportunities for doctors, travellers and business people. There are also domestic robots that can do a lot of stuff that is difficult or not interesting. If you look around, you see how many repetitious tasks people are doing that it would be much better for a robot to do: cleaning the house, washing a window, bringing something to your home."

Europeans buy fewer household lines to afford food, finds SymphonyIRI: Latest Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry research from SymphonyIRI Group highlights the extent of the pressure some of the biggest non-food brand owners are under to meet their growth projections as price inflation continues to outstrip wage growth and real incomes are squeezed. In SymphonyIRI’s Retailer Private Label in Europe report released last week, private label is doing particularly well in the household category and challenging national brands as shoppers become more reluctant to pay for top names. This is particularly true in glass/window cleaners, dishwashing and hand dishwashing and household cleaners.

Tributes paid to brave ex-soldier: A brave soldier who survived of a terrorist attack nearly 60 years ago has died at the age of 77. Stan Taylor, of Windhill Road Eastmoor, died peacefully on December 3 after a short illness.  He was only 19 when he lost a leg in an ambush while performing his National Service in Malaya in 1955. The dad-of-four went on to work as a window cleaner in the well known Taylor brothers’ firm despite his injury and also enjoyed a career with Slazenger Sports in Horbury and as a caretaker at his old school, St Austin’s on Back Duke of York Street. Even after he retired Mr Taylor did voluntary work for the British Limbless ex Servicemen Association which saw him visit and deliver parcels to war widows. Wife Jean Taylor, 78, said: “That was his life - to overcome his handicap.” Mr Taylor is survived by his wife, four children, 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. His funeral was held at Wakefield Crematorium on Wednesday.

Window cleaners preyed upon man with memory loss: Two window cleaners preyed on an elderly man, stealing a laptop containing the only photographs he had of his dead son. Joe Tate (right), 22, and David Bradley (left), 27, have been jailed for targeting the man, who had suffered a brain haemorrhage. In a victim impact statement read out at Hull Crown Court, the man's wife said: "They targeted my husband on one of the few occasions I went out and was not with him. "I remember speaking to them both previously about his illness. "We both feel cheated by this offence. We feel they deliberately targeted us."

Knowing the man suffered memory problems, Tate and Bradley had waited for the man's wife to leave before knocking on the door of the couple's house in Bransholme. They had gone to his home to ask if he wanted his windows cleaned, even though they had only done them just two days earlier. Bradley noticed the laptop sitting on the table before he was told by the man to come back when his wife was home. Tate then knocked on the front door, asking if the man wanted his gutters cleaning, giving Bradley the opportunity to break in through the back door and steal the computer. Bradley sent Tate a text saying "Bang Now" to distract the victim.

The pair made off with the computer, worth £479, which contained photographs of the couple's son, who had died. They both pleaded guilty to the burglary on July 5 after they were caught when neighbours reported them to police. Detectives discovered the text message on Tate's phone, which had been sent seconds before the burglary happened. Tate has a previous conviction for a distraction burglary.

Judge Simon Jack said: "It was an extremely mean offence, committed against a very vulnerable man at a time when his full-time carer, his wife, was away. "It caused a significant degree of sentimental loss to the victim. The material on the computer was irreplaceable. "This is a case where the victim was deliberately targeted because of his vulnerability. "You had been told by his wife of his difficulties which involved his memory loss and that made him an easy target. You picked a time when his carer was away and I'm satisfied this was not a coincidence. The two of you worked together to distract him to steal his laptop. "There was a significant degree of planning and organisation." Tate, of Borthwick Close, Bransholme, has been jailed for three and a half years and Bradley, of Blackhope Close, Bransholme, has been jailed for two years and four months. Tate has 10 previous convictions including burglary convictions.

Sci-Fi items stolen during Telford house burglary: Thieves broke into the property sometime between 11.45am and 3.10pm by smashing a window in the patio doors at the back with a brick. Once inside the property, the thieves carried out a thorough, untidy search of the property before stealing a number of items and making their escape. Among the items stolen were a wedding ring, a number of antique Star Wars models worth around £200 and some Star Trek magazines. In addition, around £450 in cash was also stolen as a result of this break-in. A police spokesman said: “The victim – a lady in her 60s – has been left devastated by the break-in as the stolen items are of great sentimental value to her. “She has no idea who broke into her home but she did receive a visit from an unknown man offering window cleaning services a short time before she went out yesterday morning. “Officers investigating this incident would like to speak to anyone who may have information about it and are especially keen to speak to the man who offered his services as a window cleaner so they can establish exactly who he is. “Anyone with information about this burglary is asked to contact police in Telford on 101 or 0300 333 3000, quoting reference number 390S 101212.

Our good friend the former convict: Kathy Curran always checks the doors and windows before leaving her smart home just north of London. "I know all about security," she laughs. "I've been trained by the best." By the best, she means Brian, a career criminal who has spent nearly 30 years inside. She and Brian have formed an unlikely but remarkable alliance over the past eight years. It has culminated in his looking after her children and even going on holiday with her and her husband. Kathy, a criminologist with a doctorate from Cambridge, specialises in the rehabilitation of repeat offenders. A brief spell in the Probation Service convinced her this wasn't the way to build up trust and really make a difference. She says you need to spend time with people, have a drink and a chat in the pub, take them shopping. "Once you've established trust, people are more receptive and more likely to listen to advice." The theory is one thing, but inviting a criminal into your home is quite another. "Getting that first job is key," she continues, "but in reality no one wants to employ an ex-offender. That's why I decided to do just that."

Determined to practise what she preached, she visited New Life, an organisation (now sadly defunct due to lack of funding) that helped former prisoners to learn the skills they'd need to gain employment. It was here that she first met Brian (not his real name). Eight years later , she's never looked back. "He was very smartly dressed in a matching suit and tie, with polished shoes and slicked-back hair. But he looked really nervous, too," she recalls. "I told him I wanted him to come and paint the outside of my house." "This was my first chance to earn clean money," Brian chips in. "I'd had it drummed into me that if I worked and paid taxes, I was a mug. Going out to earn money, before, meant I never knew if I'd make it home in the evening. So I felt utter relief when Kathy offered me this chance and I grabbed it with both hands."Brian, now 50, reels off an impressive A-to-Z of his past offences – shoplifting, fraud, drug dealing, armed robbery ("just till money"), and "creeping". For the uninitiated, this is when you dress up as a window cleaner, for example, go into a commercial property and pilfer from people's coats and desks.

Detective Constable Lloyd Davies of West Mercia Police said: "If neighbours see anything suspicious, such as strangers in back gardens or loitering outside homes, or hear glass breaking or an alarm sounding, it is vital they contact us immediately, preferably with descriptions of potential offenders and any vehicles they are using. "Sometimes we get calls about people hanging around outside houses and it turns out they are looking for a lost pet or we are alerted to people climbing over garages with ladders who genuinely are window cleaners. "Anyone who rings a suspicious incident into the police with good intent need not worry about wasting our time, and with Christmas approaching and people likely to be out more or going away for a few days we urge everyone to be good neighbours and keep an eye on each other's homes.

Window Genie of Fort Worth will Give Up to $500 to The Salvation Army in Exchange for Facebook “Likes” - Chuck Street and his crew at Window Genie promise to give $1 to The Salvation Army for each “like” they receive on Facebook through December 27th. Those in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are urged to help Window Genie give back this holiday season. They hope to raise awareness for not only their brand but The Salvation Army ARC Adult Rehabilitation Center in Fort Worth. Street promises those in the community that if they “like” the Window Genie Forth Worth Facebook page he will give $1 on their behalf to The Salvation Army. His goal is to be able to give $500.

Chicago-Area Business to Give Away 400 Boxes of Twinkies for Holidays: The giveaway is limited to one box per person and will continue until all 400 boxes (or available takers) run out. In the wake of Hostess’ bankruptcy troubles, Cherry Logistics was able to obtain a 400-box cache of the now-endangered dessert. Company owner Michael Healy thought the best way to enjoy the prize was to give it away in the holiday spirit. “This is our way to wish our neighbors and guests here in Chicagoland a happy holiday season and pay tribute to the passing of some truly iconic junk food at the same time,” said Healy. “We welcome any and all to stop by, grab a box on us, and say hello.”

Cherry Logistics, Inc., headquartered in North Aurora, IL, was founded in 2003 as a snow removal service. Since that time the company has become a premier provider of consolidated facilities maintenance services including window washing.

Mayor Risks Becoming Scrooge In O’Hare Labor Controversy: Did you hear those Christmas carols at Mayor Emanuel’s home, sung about the janitors at O’Hare? The floor-washers, window-wipers, the toilet-scrubbers at O’Hare, caroling for their salaries, walking in the dark and cold, pleading with Mr. Mayor to save their jobs. Please, they sing, don’t pink-slip us, not now, sir, not before Christmas. Do you hear them, Mr. Mayor? Are you listening to the pleas of 300 janitors being fired before Christmas, so that you can hire new janitors for less pay, so that you can save $11 million in your $8 billion budget? Minority janitors, immigrant janitors who have followed their dreams to the middle class in Chicago, working jobs that most people don’t want, for $12 or $13 an hour — being knocked down to the bottom class. To save a few million out of $8 billion? That’s not being Mr. Mayor at Christmas. It’s being Mr. Scrooge. Also here & here.

Broadway faces potential holiday labor headache (New York) - The union representing hundreds of Broadway theater cleaners, porters, elevator operators and bathroom attendants voted Wednesday to authorize its leaders to call a strike if a new contract isn't approved by the end of the month, potentially throwing a wrench into a busy holiday season. Members of the 250-person 32BJ union voted during a noisy rally on the street outside the Times Square offices of the Broadway League, which represents producers and theater owners. They stood in the cold and heard speakers blast Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up," ''Family Affair" by Sly & The Family Stone and Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind." Any strike would affect workers at 32 of Broadway's 40 theaters where the 32BJ has a contract, meaning all the Shubert, Nederlander and Jujamcyn-owned theaters, as well as the Circle in the Square Theatre. The eight other Broadway theaters have different arrangements. The 32BJ, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, has more than 120,000 members, concentrated in the Northeast. It represents janitors, property maintenance workers, doormen, security officers, window cleaners and food service workers. Also here & here.

Documentary shorts: Also with an editorial pedigree is Nadav Kurtz who continues as an accomplished editor at Cutters. He made his directorial debut with Paraiso, which recently made the Oscar Short Subject Documentary shortlist. Paraiso tells the story of Chicago high-rise window washers, many of whom are immigrants, most coming from a small town in Mexico. "The film," related Kurtz, "explores why they have chosen this occupation, what their spiritual beliefs are given that they face their own mortality on a daily basis, and what they see inside those buildings, which lends itself to several funny stories."

Paraiso was co-produced by Kurtz's The Strangebird Company and Dictionary Films, which is part of the Cutters' family of shops. Kurtz noted that he would have never been able to bring the short film to fruition without the production resources of Dictionary and post support from Cutters. Kurtz continues to edit spots via Cutters, adding to credits that include collaborations with such directors as Tony Kaye (Blue Cross/Blue Shield), Vincent Haycock (Absolut), Sean Thonson (Central Dupage Hospital) and Jordan Brady (Chicago Crystal Meth Task Force). Kurtz is now also on the lookout for select shorts and other artistic projects he can direct.

Ladder Climbing Robot

Here we go again... another ladder/window cleaning robot - now just to teach it the properties of scrim & hydrophobic windows & it still wouldn't be good as you're worst employee.

Dream Robo Climbs Ladders, Soon Tall Buildings: Osaka-based company Muscle Corporation along with a few other Japanese companies have developed a humanoid robot that can climb up and down ladders. Tall buildings are no longer a safe haven for humans to hide in.

It’s called “Dream Robo” and was actually shown off last year during the Shanghai Expo. It stands 1.4m high, weighs about 30kg and moves using five motors that are built into its body. It also only wears clothes on one half of it’s metal frame for some reason.

As they improve the technology, this guy could be used to help people in disaster situations, maybe serve as a window washer, save kittens in trees or do any number of other duties. Put a Spider-Man costume on him and you have robo-Spidey. It’s pretty impressive that this robot can climb as well as it does, when you consider how difficult it is to make a robot walk well.