'Cute robot' will be companion to International Space Station commander

[LongTomH]

From the IO9 SF & futurist website: http://io9.com/5965091/japans-new-communications-robot-will-prevent-astronauts-from-getting-lonely-in-space--by-being-absolutely-adorable

When JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata arrives aboard the International Space Station in November 2013, he'll find his little robot buddy already onboard to keep him company during the 6-month mission. The little, 34-centimer (13.3 in.) robot is more than a toy; he will be able to recognize Wakata's face, talk to him in Japanese and take pictures of the mission.

Called the Kibo Robot Project (Kibo means "hope" in Japanese), the organizers are working on a robot-human interface for use during extended missions. But its ultimate purpose extends beyond that. They describe the purpose of the project this way:

The Kibo robot has a special mission: To help solve the problems brought about by a society that has become more individualized and less communicative.

Nowdays, more and more people are living alone. It's not just the elderly — with today's changing lifestyles, it's people of all ages.

With a new style of robot-human interface, perhaps a way to solve this problem could be found. This is the goal we have in mind for this project.

Japan has been leading the world in robotics for decades; in recent years, that interest has gotten a boost by their realization that their society is aging. That means fewer young workers entering the workforce; it also means more older people who will need care. Japanese robot designers are working on robot caregivers for the elderly and robot pets for older people as therapy.

[bananas]

1. Go see "Robot and Frank"

If it's playing near you, go see it.
I don't want to give away any spoilers.
http://robotandfrank-film.com/