Robots in outer space

A 34in humanoid robot — developed by Toyota Motor Corporation, the University of Tokyo and venture-capital firm Robo Garage Co — will be sent to the International Space Station this summer to be used in communication experiments with astronaut Koichi Wakata. The 49-year-old will become the first Japanese commander of the ISS when he begins his mission later this year.

Members of the Kibo Robot Project say that the communications robot (called Kirobo) can recognise sounds and words and make gestures. It can also utter words by remote control and comes with a camera that recognises faces and records data.