Japan's robot astronaut is very cute

Tiny doll-sized robot that speaks Japanese to help out at the International Space Station. Will be chatting partner & remember faces.

Click button to listen to Japanese Chat Robot on Space Station download 

ROBOTS

Japan robot says space mission 'big stride' for androids

26/06/2013
AFP

A talking robot that will accompany a Japanese astronaut in space this summer says the cosmic tour will be one giant leap for androids everywhere.

In a scene straight out of Star Wars, the pint-sized KIROBO fielded questions from curious journalists who asked what it was going to do in space.

"This may look like a small step, but it will be a big stride as a robot," the black-and-white humanoid robot outfitted with bright red boots told a press briefing in Tokyo.

Its creators said they were sending the robot into space to act as a chatting partner for astronaut Koichi Wakata, who is set to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) later this year.

KIROBO is to arrive in August in what its handlers say is the first visit for a robot at the space station. Wakata will also be the first Japanese astronaut to command the ISS.

"KIROBO will remember Mr Wakata's face so it can recognise him when they reunite up in space," said creator Tomotaka Takahashi

He will be the first robot to visit the space station.

Standing at just 34 centimetres (13.4 inches) tall and weighing about one kilogram (2.2 pounds), the little android is programmed to communicate in Japanese and keep records of its conversations with Wakata. 

The robot, which has a wide range of physical motion, will also play a role in some missions, relaying messages from the control room to the astronaut, Takahashi said.  

Back on earth, twin robot MIRATA will be on the lookout for any problems encountered by its electronic counterpart.

Takahashi, who said he was inspired by legendary animation character Astro Boy, said he now wants to create a miniaturised robot that owners could carry in their pocket like a smartphone

"By bringing a robot into space, the development of a symbiotic robot is expected to move along much faster," Takahashi said, referring to efforts at making robots even more human-like.

The project's website can be found at: http://kibo-robo.jp

(Source: Bangkok Post, ROBOTS, Japan robot says space mission 'big stride' for androids, 26/06/2013, AFP, link) 


Robot Vocabulary

robot - a machine that can do work itself, often doing the work of humans and replacing them หุ่นยนต์ (See Wikipedia)
a Japanese robot
a humanoid robot

KIROBO - the name of the robot project in Japan that designed and built the space station robot (See website & YouTube)

chat - to have a friendly conversation or talk with other people การพูดคุยกันเล่นๆ,  การคุยเล่น, การพูดคุย

chatbot - a computer program that talks like a real person, imitates human conversation and fool the user into thinking that the program's output has been produced by a human (pass the Turing test) (See Wikipedia)

android - a machine that looks like and acts like a person (in science fiction books)

humanoid - looks like a person; human in appearance
humanoid robot

partner - a person who you do some activity with
chatting partner - a person you talk with

astronaut - a person who travels in outer space

International Space Station (ISS) - a space station that started to be built in 1996, has 6 crew, can sometimes be seen from earth (See Wikipedia)

space station - a laboratory in space that people can live in for long periods of time
He will be the first robot to visit the space station.

mission - travelling to another country or to outer space to accomplish an important task; an important job, especially a military one, that someone is sent somewhere to do งาน
a space mission

stride - 1. an achievement; something good that someone did; 2. the distance walked putting one foot in front of another
big stride - a big achievement, something very good that someone did
big stride for androids

space - outer space
space mission - traveling to outer space, a space journey

Japan robot says space mission 'big stride' for androids

leap - to make a large jump or sudden movement, usually from one place to another กระโดด
a giant leap - a big improvement or change; progress or advancement

one giant leap for androids everywhere -

accompany - to go with someone ไปกับ,ไปด้วยกัน,ไปเป็นเพื่อน
a talking robot  will accompany an astronaut

A talking robot that will accompany a Japanese astronaut in space this summer says the cosmic tour will be one giant leap for androids everywhere.

demonstrates - to show people how something works or operates
demonstrates a humanoid robot

cosmic - in outer space
cosmic tour - traveling in outer space
the cosmic tour will be one giant leap for androids everywhere.

Japan's Tokyo University robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi demonstrates a humanoid robot Kirobo in Tokyo on June 26, 2013. The talking robot that will accompany a Japanese astronaut in space this summer says the cosmic tour will be one giant leap for androids everywhere.

scene - situation
straight out of - comes from

a scene straight out of - a scene that comes from
a scene straight out of Star Wars

pint-sized - very small
pint-sized robot

curious - wanting to find out about things; discover new things and facts; interested in finding out about things
journalists - a person who writes or presents news stories in a newspaper or on TV
curious journalists

field questions - answer questions that people want to ask you
fielded questions from curious journalists

In a scene straight out of Star Wars, the pint-sized KIROBO fielded questions from curious journalists who asked what it was going to do in space.

outfit - to give a person clothes and equipment they need
outfitted with

bright - very clever or intelligent ฉลาด
bright red boots

press - newspapers and magazines, and those parts of television and radio which broadcast news, or reporters and photographers who work for them สื่อมวลชน
briefing - a short meeting to provide needed information to people คำแถลงการณ์สั้น,สรุปแบบสั้นๆ
press briefing

"This may look a small step, but it will be a big stride as a robot," the black-and-white humanoid robot outfitted with bright red boots told a press briefing in Tokyo.Its creators said they were sending the robot into space to act as a chatting partner for astronaut Koichi Wakata, who is set to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) later this year.

handler - someone whose job is to look after an animal or here, a robot (example: a dog handler)
robot handler

KIROBO is to arrive in August in what its handlers say is the first visit for a robot at the space station.

command - to be in charge of and control all activities in a ship, spacecraft, etc (example: the captain commanded the ship)

Wakata will also be the first Japanese astronaut to command the ISS.

recognise - to know who a person is จำได้ รู้จัก
reunite - to bring together again รวมกันใหม่

the robot will remember Mr Wakata's face so it can recognise him when they reunite up in space.

records - pieces of information describing something written down or stored on a computer บันทึุก
records of conversations
keep records of conversations

Standing at just 34 centimetres (13.4 inches) tall and weighing about one kilogram (2.2 pounds), the little android is programmed to communicate in Japanese and keep records of its conversations with Wakata. 

range - a number of different things that are of the same general type ขอบข่าย, ประเภท
wide range - many different kinds of things

physical - real things that can be touched and seen (not just an idea or legal right)
motion - the process or action of moving (going from one place to another)
physical motion - moving from one place to another

role - the position or function that someone or something has in a situation, organisation, society or relationship บทบาท
play a role in

The robot, which has a wide range of physical motion, will also play a role in some missions, relaying messages from the control room to the astronaut, Takahashi said. 

lookout - a high place where a person can look at what is happening in the area around them, espeicially in order to watch for any danger การระมัดระวัง
on the lookout for

encountered - experienced, especially something unpleasant เผชิญหน้า
problems encountered

counterpart - someone who has the same job or purpose as another person, but in a different country, time, situation or organisation ฝ่ายตรงข้าม หรือคนที่อยู่ในตำแหน่งเดียวกันของอีกประเทศ หรือ กลุ่มหนึ่ง
its electronic counterpart

Back on earth, twin robot MIRATA will be on the lookout for any problems encountered by its electronic counterpart

animation - movies with cartoon characters, not real people
animation character

legendary - famous
legendary animation character

inspired by - given the energy and enthusiasm to do something
inspired by legendary animation character Astro Boy

miniature - small
miniaturised robot - a small robot
a miniaturised robot carried in the pocket like a smartphone

Takahashi, who said he was inspired by legendary animation character Astro Boy, said he now wants to create a miniaturised robot that owners could carry in their pocket like a smartphone

symbiotic - a close relationship between things, people or animals from which both get benefits
a symbiotic robot - a robot that is closely related to humans the things they do (talking with humans about problems, for example)
development of a symbiotic robot

expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
expected to move along much faster

referring to - talking about ..., mentioning ....
efforts - the work done towards achieving some goal; people trying to accomplish something, achieve a goal ความพยายาม
referring to efforts at making robots even more human-like

"By bringing a robot into space, the development of a symbiotic robot is expected to move along much faster," Takahashi said, referring to efforts at making robots even more human-like.