Kirobo and Mirata. Source
The robot to the left in this picture goes by the name "Kirobo", and it will soon be rocketing towards the International Space Station. Standing at 13 inches tall and just over 2 pounds, this robot was built to be a conversation companion. Toyota, the University of Tokyo, and Robo Garage have all been working together on this little fellow as a way to make a robotic companion to take away some of the feeling of isolation that comes from extended stays in space. Kirobo is specially outfitted to work in zero gravity and to survive all the hardships of space, as well as being outfitted with complex software that allows it to speak Japanese and hold a conversation. This robot will have to wait until Commander Koichi Wakata arrives at the ISS in November or December, but then they will have the first ever conversation between human and robot in space. Fun stuff!
With any luck, robotics technology will not stop here, and we'll soon see even more complex machines helping us through our every day tasks.
For more information, check out this article.
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