A Space Odyssey

"Through layers of communication, we were able to observe the initial stages of a relationship begin to develop between a human and a robot, and I think that was our biggest success."
Tomotaka Takahashi developer of Kirobo

AP Photo

Kirobo has resulted from the fertile mind of a Japanese robotic technician, Tomotaka Takahasii. Japanese developers have become renowned for their work in robotics. Some of the first industrial robots were deployed in Japanese automaker production lines. The Japanese have produced dog-like robots and humanoid-type robots in the past, to great acclaim.

And now, Kirobo has been developed by a technical experimental team led by Tomotaka Takahashi, to perform during a space mission on the International Space Station. Kirobo's first test of its ability to verbally interact with a human being took place in recently and the video footage was just released by the robot's developers.

Kirobo was programmed with the ability to process queries; after listening it would select words from its programmed vocabulary in the construction of a considered response. There are no pre-programmed responses to anticipated questions that would be specific enough to engender a correct response.

Kirobo was programmed, in other words, to digest a query and respond just as an intelligent human would.

Japanese Tokyo University robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi chats with humanoid robot Kirobo (R) and back-up robot Mirata in Tokyo. (AFP Photo)

Speaking in Japanese with astronaut Koichi Wakata in the first test of its autonomous functionality in conversing with someone, Wakata asked Kirobo how it is managing in a zero-gravity environment. "I'm used to it now, no problem at all", responded Kirobo. No one quite knew how the humanoid robot might respond and whether it would be able to do so in a manner to give credit to expectations.

Kirobo and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata made small talk in Japanese at the International Space Station. (Associated Press/Kirobo Robot Project)

Kirobo was sent into space from Tanegashima Space Center for the International Space Station in Japan, this summer. He was packed as part of a space cargo transporter. Astronaut Koichi Wakata arrived in November, to assume command of the station in March.

Kirobo is a joint venture between Dentsu, an advertising company and automaker Toyota, and Takahasii at the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology.

The Kirobo experiments are set to continue until the little robot returns to Earth by the end of 2014. He is reputed to have said he wants to ask for a toy rocket this Christmas from Santa. All bets are on that Kirobo replicas complete with speaking function though not autonomous function, will soon pack retail store shelves for sale to rapturous fans.