Japan Launches Talking Humanoid Robot Into Space

An anonymous reader writes "Kirobo, a talking humanoid robot, has been launched into space and is headed to the International Space Station. From the article: 'Japan has launched the world's first talking humanoid robot "astronaut" toward the International Space Station. Kirobo — derived from the Japanese words for "hope" and "robot" — was among five tons of supplies and machinery on a rocket launched Sunday from Tanegashima in southwestern Japan, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said. The childlike robot was designed to be a companion for astronaut Koichi Wakata and will communicate with another robot on Earth, according to developers. Wakata is expected to arrive at the space station in November.'"

Comments

I'm sorry Dave-san, I cannot do that

[Anonymous Coward]

Dave-san, I cannot let you jeopardize this mission.

Re:no article?

[djupedal]

It's basically a toy - less than a foot high, I think - it responds to basic verbal pre-programmed commands. And since it only responds to Japanese and no one up there right now speaks enough to play with it, they will use someone on earth that has already worked with it to communicate over radio.

I'm going to call this more of a stunt than anything else, sorry.