This humanoid communication robot, equipped with Toyota's voice-recognition software, said "On August 21, 2013, a robot took one small step toward a brighter future for all." It was the first robot voice ever heard in space, and boy was it cute.
The Kibo Robot Project is a joint research program being carried out by Dentsu, the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, Robo Garage and Toyota, with the help of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The two 13-inch tall robots, Kirobo and Mirata weigh 2.2 pounds each, and were developed so that astronauts don't get lonely on the ISS. They are also adorable, like most robots from Japan.
Kirobo was transported to the ISS aboard the Kounotori 4 cargo transfer vehicle atop H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 4, launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on August 4th.
Kirobo arrived at the station six days later, and will stay there for about a year and a half, during which time he will also take part in the world’s first conversation between a robot and a person (Commander Wakata, who will arrive at the ISS in November) in outer space as part of an initiative designed to explore the possibilities of humans coexisting with robots in the future.
I'll keep waiting for some sexy androids.