World's first talking robot sent into space - Indian Express

PTI : Washington, Sun Aug 04 2013, 14:57 hrs Kirobo is just 34 centimetres tall, built to converse with astronauts on long space voyages. (AP) One giant leap for robot kind! The world's first talking robot astronaut Kirobo was successfully blasted into space today by Japanese scientists. The robot was designed to be a companion for astronauts to stop them from getting lonely while in space. Officials at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said the H2B rocket, carrying food, water and other supplies, lifted off from the island of Tanegashima today. Included in the cargo is a small robot named Kirobo, which will serve as a companion for Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata who will join the crew later this year. Kirobo was put through a series of zero-gravity and other safety tests before it was deemed ready for flight. The 34 centimetres tall robot can speak Japanese and is designed to provide emotional support for people isolated forlong periods, 'SPACE.com' reported. The Kirobo space robot is a diminutive mechanical person just 34 centimetres tall, built to converse with astronauts on long space voyages. The robot, and its ground-based counterpart Mirata, are part of the Kibo Robot Project to develop new technologies to enhance human-robot interaction in space. Kirobo speaks Japanese and is expected to talk to JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata when he arrives at the space station in November. The name of Kirobo is a merging of Kibo and robot, project officials have said. Kirobo and Mirata were built by scientists and engineers at the University of Tokyo. Both robots come equipped with voice-recognition and face-recognition technology, as well as a camera, emotion recognition software and natural language processing. "I want to help create a world where humans and robots can live together," Kirobo told reporters when the project was unveiled. ALSO READ US to manufacture, market DRDO's Explosive Detection Kit US seeks tighter control over Apple in e-book case A unique antibiotic may kill anthrax With Motorola Moto X, Google enters a crowded marketplace Please read our terms of use before posting comments TERMS OF USE: The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s). via Science - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE5C932catb8MKEbWkJDFq64cEClA&url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/worlds-first-talking-robot-sent-into-space/1151003/

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