5 Aug 2013

Talking robot heading for International Space Station

6:51 am on 5 August 2013

A talking robot named Kirobo was launched into Space from Japan on Sunday for the International Space Station to test how machines can help astronauts with their work.

The Japanese-speaking robot, equipped with voice- and facial-recognition technology, was aboard an unmanned cargo vessel carrying supplies and other equipment for the crew of the orbital research base.

The vessel was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan on Sunday. It will arrive at the outpost on Friday, according to the website of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Kirobo was jointly developed by the University of Tokyo, Toyota Motor Corp and Dentsu Inc.

At a recent demonstration, the robot said it "hoped to create a future where humans and robots live together and get along".

Kirobo's main conversation partner will be Koichi Wakata, a Japanese astronaut who is expected to take off for the space station with six other crew members in November.

Wakata is due to take command of the complex next March. Kirobo will stay in space until late 2014.

The robot is 34cm tall and weighs about 1kg. It is designed to navigate in zero gravity and gets its name from "kibo", the Japanese word for "hope" and "robot".