Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A humanoid robot will travel to the international space station this week on the final flight of the shuttle Discovery

robonaut-2

Almost 200 people from 15 countries have visited the international space station, but until now all the crew have been human. This week the station will get its first humanoid robot.

Robonaut 2 (nicknamed, inevitably, R2) will ride on the final flight of space shuttle Discovery this week and spend the next decade helping astronauts on the space station with scientific research and mundane chores.

The $2.5m (£1.6m) robot, made from aluminium and nickel-plated carbon fibre, stands almost a metre tall and weighs 136kg (300lb). Among more than 40 sensors used to detect its surroundings are four visible-light cameras in its golden head sitting in place of eyes, and a fifth in its mouth to measure infrared light and help with depth perception. R2's 38 computer processors fill up the stomach area, firing commands to its highly dexterous arms and fingers.”

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