International Space Station Welcomes Robot Crew Member
Airbus
CIMON is here to help.
It's tight quarters and long work days for the astronauts living on the International Space Station, and they need all the help they can get. Luckily for them, an assistant is on the way.
CIMON, which stands for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion, is a robotic ball with a screen that displays a friendly face. It can speak, take directions and even fly, Engadget reports.
Developed by IBM and Airbus in partnership with the German Aerospace Center, CIMON was designed to assist astronauts and generally make their lives in orbit easier. Its screen can also display repair instructions and procedures for experiments, so astronauts can keep their hands free for tools and instruments. It also comes equipped with a camera, to record important moments.
Before it was ready for orbit, CIMON underwent numerous rounds of testing with German astronaut Alexander Gerst, so that the robot can respond to his voice commands.
"AI-based technology is about constantly understanding, reasoning and learning, so CIMON is designed to assist and to create a feeling of talking to a crew mate," writes Airbus.
CIMON was launched Friday aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and is on its way to the space station.