Development of human-form communications robots for the International Space Station

With the cooperation of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), RCAST, Robo Garage, Dentsu, and Toyota Motors are proceeding with the KIBO ROBOT PROJECT, a collaborative research endeavor to develop a human-form communications robot that will be placed on the International Space Station starting in the summer of 2013. The project is currently carrying out studies and experiments into what is necessary for sending a robot into space, which will be completed shortly.

The names of the two robots under development were chosen from 2,452 ideas (submitted by 1,226 people). They are KIROBO, which will be used for the robot in space, and MIRATA, which will be used for the robot on the ground. These two robots are connected by the idea of representing "hope for the future."

In the summer of 2013, KIROBO will be sent to the ISS where it will meet up with Koichi Wakata, the JAXA astronaut who will become the first Japanese commander of the ISS starting next winter. The first-ever dialogue experiments between humans and robots in space will take place. In addition, MIRATA will be used as a backup for KIROBO, and will also participate in educational events for children.

Tomotaka Takahashi, a project associate professor involved with the project, says, "We want to send out a vision for the future in which humans and robots coexist through communication."