Japan has unveiled the world's first robot that can talk. The robot was built for a special purpose. It will serve as a companion for astronaut Kochi Wakata , who will begin his mission in November.
The robot took off from the island of Tanegashima , Japan, on an unmanned rocket carrying supplies for the crew that will later board the International Space Station (ISS).
It's called Kirobo and is 34 centimeters tall. It's expected to arrive at the ISS on August 9th.
It is part of a research project that aims to study how machines can provide emotional support to people who are isolated for long periods of time.
Kirobo was created by programmer Tomotaka Takahashi and the name Kirobo came from the Japanese words for "hope" and "robot," as reported by the BBC.
The small robot weighs about 1 kg and can perform several body movements. Its design was inspired by the legendary Astro Boy animation.
Kirobo is scheduled to speak in Japanese and store records of his conversations with Mr. Wakata who will be the commander of the ISS later this year.
In addition, it is expected to relay messages from the astronaut's control room.
“Kirobo will remember Mr. Wakata’s face so it can recognize him when they are in space,” says the robot’s developer, Tomotaka Takahashi.
