Japan may send chatty humanoid tweet-bot to space station

Technology Feb. 18, 2011 - 06:23AM JST ( 27 )

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Order by Time Order by Popularity

27 Comments

0

kokorocloudFeb. 18, 2011 - 08:47AM JST

Aww, that's kinda nice... if not a little creepy. Somehow it makes me think of that one Twilight Zone episode with the guy who was imprisoned on a distant planet with only a robot woman for a friend to talk to. He ended up losing his grasp on reality and fell in love with her-- something to think about! We may one day reach that point, officially...
0

paulinusaFeb. 18, 2011 - 08:59AM JST

Think about being stuck on a apace ship with a "chatty" robot. "Ground control get me outta here!"
0

Zenny11Feb. 18, 2011 - 09:09AM JST

Rather a chatty robot than a "HAL 9000" or the "Smart Bomb" from Dark Star.
0

paulinusaFeb. 18, 2011 - 09:27AM JST

I guess it depends what he/she wants to chat about.
0

kokorocloudFeb. 18, 2011 - 09:30AM JST

Probably things about the weather... food... latest movies and books...
0

gogogoFeb. 18, 2011 - 10:03AM JST

Why?
0

12_year_senseiFeb. 18, 2011 - 10:39AM JST

Why? Maybe a manifestation or symptom of many techno-geeks' inability or disinterest in real relationships. Remember that so many of the first Japanese humanoid robots looked like young girls. To me it was an obvious attempt to create what they couldn't have. Make it better, more obedient, etc. The robot boffins never seem to notice that the elderly don't really like nurse-robots. By the way, have they asked any of the foreign astronauts if they actually WANT talking robots? It seems like more totally inward Japanese-style thinking, and simply assuming that others are similarly inclined.
0

JunnamaFeb. 18, 2011 - 10:42AM JST

"chatty humanoid tweet bot"... This sounds like a technical term ;)
0

goddogFeb. 18, 2011 - 11:05AM JST

Should make it look like that Robot in "Eurotrip"
0

ReformedBasherFeb. 18, 2011 - 11:38AM JST

Isn't the whole point of going into space to escape from TWITer?

@ 12yearsensei

By the way, have they asked any of the foreign astronauts if they actually WANT talking robots? It seems like more totally inward Japanese-style thinking, and simply assuming that others are similarly inclined.

You are assuming they haven't. Your comment seems like more totally inward I-don't-like-Japan-because-they-don't-worship-me-enough-and-it's-not-like-I-expected style thinking, and simply assuming that others are similarly inclined.

I have no difficulty in believing you are 12 years old.
0

seeker1Feb. 18, 2011 - 01:33PM JST

But will it be able to do the knife trick like Bishop...
0

jianadarenFeb. 18, 2011 - 03:08PM JST

Make it soft and cuddly, then it could be a Pillow Wife
0

NessieFeb. 18, 2011 - 05:22PM JST

Because if there's one thing you need when you're in a confined space it's a chatty robot.
0

HJSLLSFeb. 18, 2011 - 08:27PM JST

These guys need the equivalent of Las Vegas in space - a sin city to shake their loneliness. We can call it "Las Vega, the sin-satellite. Come and enjoy your Big Bang."
0

HJSLLSFeb. 18, 2011 - 08:28PM JST

These guys get enough chatter from ground control!
0

HJSLLSFeb. 18, 2011 - 08:32PM JST

The astronauts will turn this chat-bot off in 2 weeks after getting bored with it. Don't these guys have Internet connection? If these guys are getting lonely, have them log onto Skype, Twitter, or FB - they can chat with their friends all day long. The little chatty bot will only take up space and cost millions of dollars to send up!
0

SargeFeb. 18, 2011 - 09:12PM JST

Wake me up when the make a humanoid that looks and sounds exactly like Erika Sawajiri.
0

LagunaFeb. 18, 2011 - 10:03PM JST

Japan may send chatty humanoid tweet-bot to space station

Sorry, didn't bother to read the article; just assumed from the headline they'd be sending Hatoyama. Probably fitting as his nickname is "Alien."
0

HJSLLSFeb. 18, 2011 - 11:15PM JST

The astronauts will open this bot up and use it for spare parts! For whatever they can't use, they will dump it into space to burn up in the atmosphere (ISS does not have spare room for junk).
0

iPodiPadiPedFeb. 19, 2011 - 12:48AM JST

Why make it human-like, that's what's creepy about it. Robots should look like robots, because that's what they are. It's already scary enough to observe humans behaving like robots...
0

oberstFeb. 19, 2011 - 02:37AM JST

I hope they send the humanoid female school teacher robot .
0

UROFeb. 19, 2011 - 09:02PM JST

Fantastic!

But, is this more or less scary to be all alone in the presence of any "irobot" up there? :) Will it be a good company... ?
0

smithinjapanFeb. 19, 2011 - 09:20PM JST

As long as they're not sending it as a 'representative of Japan' or declaring it the 'ISS mascot'. Anyway, have they cleared it with the other nations?
0

drriversongFeb. 20, 2011 - 12:57AM JST

Yeah,smithinjapan, I just thought they are actually going to send 'Doraemon' lookalike to appeal 'Japan' to the world. Doraemon is very Japan you see.(I personally think it is much better than sending 'Pillow-Wife' looking robot which seems to release for the press frequently. Oh this 'Pillow-Wife' AKB Japanese girl robot is very 'Japan' too?) Mind if the US do this I bet they actually want to send 'R2-D2'lookalike endorced by Geroge Lucas. Or 'Ronald'of McDonald. How about that.
0

Zenny11Feb. 20, 2011 - 01:01AM JST

Nope, upgraded version of "Furby". :p
0

drriversongFeb. 20, 2011 - 01:28AM JST

Haha.:P