EVER tried to print out a page from a website, only to discover that it is
too wide or too long for your paper size? That鈥檚 exactly the irritation tackled
by WebRecord鈥攁 software application that formats web pages so that they
fit the available paper.
WebRecord was developed two years ago by Canon Information Systems Research
Australia (CISRA), a Sydney-based R&D offshoot of the Japanese camera and
office equipment giant. Since then, Canon has distributed millions of copies,
mainly as an adjunct to the company鈥檚 printers.
Useful software like WebRecord enables Canon to differentiate and add value
to its products in a fiercely competitive market. Another example from CISRA is
PhotoRecord, a software tool for users of Canon鈥檚 digital cameras.
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Last year, 90 per cent of the CISRA鈥檚 income of A$30 million came from
Canon Inc. But now, the parent is encouraging its precocious offspring to cut
the apron strings and go into business on its own. CISRA managing director
Susumu 鈥淪id鈥� Sugiura hopes that by unleashing the company鈥檚 entrepreneurial
potential, within five years outside sources will account for 50 percent of
income. The idea is that by decreasing dependence on Canon, CISRA can increase
productivity, profits and its own security.
To this end, Sugiura has promoted two Australians, Jim Metcalfe and Phil
Robertson, to be directors. Though the new policy was announced only last month,
already Metcalfe can see changes in the attitude of CISRA staff. 鈥淧eople have
always come up with ideas about what we should do,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut now [they also
ask], How do we make a buck out of this?鈥�
CISRA, the third of seven overseas R&D centres set up by Canon, was
established exactly ten years ago. The idea was to increase the international
diversity of Canon鈥檚 research and, more pragmatically, to take advantage of the
export offsets policy of the Australian government, which provided concessions
to foreign companies investing in Australia.
Today with 165 employees, including 120 engineers, Cisra is the second
largest of Canon鈥檚 overseas laboratories, and one of the biggest R&D
companies in Australia.
CISRA quickly won a name for itself in Tokyo for the excellence of its chip
design, and it continues to design complex integrated circuits for the parent
company鈥檚 office equipment. But CISRA鈥檚 real forte is digital imaging. And it is
this expertise which is the basis of the first two prototype products of the new
era.
Metcalfe鈥檚 baby is known as Rama. It is a touch-screen intended to replace
the refrigerator door as the place where the family posts its messages.
Connected to the home personal computer, a Rama touch-screen can be located
anywhere in the house and displays calendars, rosters, shopping lists and the
like. CISRA is already sounding out potential partners in Australia and Japan to
turn Rama into a commercial product.
Robertson鈥檚 group has come up with iCard, a system that delivers simple,
rapid access to a business website. The idea is that companies鈥攂anks, say,
or department stores鈥攚ould give away the cards, which can be plugged into
a small handheld terminal. The terminal functions the same way as a television
remote control, except that instead of a TV channel, it connects to the website
of the business. Once connected, buttons on the surface of the card enable users
to navigate their way around the site and make purchases or payments or perform
other actions.
The first users of the system are likely to be householders in Canberra
connected to TransACT Communications鈥攁 broadband network sponsored by the
local electricity and water utility, ACTEW.