Robonaut – NASA’s android reaches the International Space Station

I mentioned Robonaut in a previous post about how robots have suddenly becoming awesome, like they were supposed to back in the year 2000.

He’s a humanoid robot who’s designed to carry out maintenance, lab work and other routine tasks on the International Space Station. Although I’m sure he’ll soon assume dominance and do creepy things like watch the astronauts sleep. Anyway, he’s arrived in space now. In this video he’s ‘unboxed’ and floats around the space station a bit. Not sure if he’s been turned on yet.

He looks awesome, except he doesn’t have any legs. Legs aren’t that important in space. Its all pretty futuristic though, human-like robots on space stations…. in space.

PS. Check out the crazy weightless hair and the ‘comedy’.

Remember when robots were a bit crap? Not any more

I’ve been let down by robots.

When I was young (the 1980s), future robot predictions were all the rage. I was promised robot servants that would clean and cook and generally take care of business, whilst I flew around in my hover car. I grew up on a diet of Transformers, Robo Jox and dodgy dubs of Japanese mecha anime… and then I saw Robocop.

But robots totally failed to live up to their promise. Sure they can build cars and play chess, but weren’t robots supposed to be exploring space, fighting wars and cooking us meals by now?

Well it turns out they’re starting too. Maybe not the cooking bit.