Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 9, 2013 23:48:23 GMT 12
Giant leap for robots
5:30 AM Friday Aug 9, 2013
Japan's space agency says the first talking humanoid robot "astronaut" has taken off in a rocket.
Kirobo - derived from the Japanese words for hope and robot - was among five tonnes of supplies and machinery on a rocket launched to the International Space Station from southwest Japan.
Developers say the childlike robot will be a companion for astronaut Koichi Wakata and will communicate with another robot on Earth.
Robot designer Tomotaka Takahashi, of the University of Tokyo, advertiser Dentsu and carmaker Toyota worked on the robot. The challenge is making sure it can move and talk where there is no gravity.
Ahead of the launch, the 34cm tall Kirobo said: "One small step for me, a giant leap for robots."
-AP
5:30 AM Friday Aug 9, 2013
Japan's space agency says the first talking humanoid robot "astronaut" has taken off in a rocket.
Kirobo - derived from the Japanese words for hope and robot - was among five tonnes of supplies and machinery on a rocket launched to the International Space Station from southwest Japan.
Developers say the childlike robot will be a companion for astronaut Koichi Wakata and will communicate with another robot on Earth.
Robot designer Tomotaka Takahashi, of the University of Tokyo, advertiser Dentsu and carmaker Toyota worked on the robot. The challenge is making sure it can move and talk where there is no gravity.
Ahead of the launch, the 34cm tall Kirobo said: "One small step for me, a giant leap for robots."
-AP
