Toward a real Astro?

[jayrath]

I really don't know what to think of this:
http://news.yahoo.com/talking-humanoid-robot-launches-japan-rocket-061256685.html

Does this advance science in a meaninful way? Or is it a gimmick, a novelty? I don't think it would exist if Astro had never been created.

[avatargirl]

HI- I WOULD HOPE SO- I LOVE THE IDEA OF CUTE BUT INTELLIGENT ROBOTS! IF
IT IS ANYTHING I HOPE IT IS INSPIRATION TO BUILD MORE ADVANCE CUTE SMART FRIENDLY ROBOTS! FOR SOME REASON I LOVE CUTE SMART FRIENDLY ROBOTS!

PRAY EVERYONE always the very best!

THANKS JAYRATH!

[AprilSeven]

Ha Haaa!! He's even got "red boots!"

This seems primarily gimmicky - a cute novelty - but eventually having a humanoid robotic partner in space could be extremely helpful - for space walks and repairs, for instance.

They cited "anime" as the source of inspiration - when, oh WHEN will they simply cite :astro

Thanks, Jayrath for spotting and sharing this!

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

He's small and all of his electronics are outboard on the other end of a tether cable (so it's like He's space walking). Why oh why doesn't one of the Japanese robot makers do the obvious and stop hinting at it. You know they all want to give homage to their inspiration . Those red boots at least a hint.

[Little Brown Fox]

... Pfffft, manga culture... you're not fooling anybody. He is quite a little cutie, though.

[jayrath]

More explicit. It is indeed supposed to be Astro: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1796021/Japan-sends-robot-friend-for-astronauts

[Dante69]

Lol. Ah, the impact Astro Boy has made on the world.

[Sporkia]

I find it kind of sweet that Japan keeps trying to build an Astro Boy. It's sort of like they've taken that childhood dream of "I wish Astro was real!" and are now trying to make it a reality now that they're adults.

I had no idea that Kirobo had a brother, though. Given the connection to Astro as an inspiration, that sort of amuses me. Both of them are definitely cute, though. >w<

[Earthshine]

It's so cute... but then again it would be pretty awful if we had a robot apocalypse with thousands of Astro Boys! Yikes! Nah that wouldn't happen, I have faith that humans are little more intelligent compared to our science-fiction counterparts.

I would like to see them focus more on completing a highly advanced AI first before structuring a body. I believe that for any progress to be made in getting sentient robots/androids starts with the AI, they have to be treated first as two separate functions before integrating them and specializing the AI for its body.

[CommanderEVE]

I wonder if Japan will ever be able to make something like Astro Boy.