Robot Space Explorers

[Gilberto]

We joked about this on the show, but I think one day robots will make great space explorers, and possibly even ambassadors for humanity to other races. Wouldn't that be an interesting way to prove how advanced we are?

[gretl]

Certainly gets past a lot of limitations keeping us meat-sacks from straying too far from home!

[lynn]

Can you imagine millions of years in the future a random robot space explorer that accidentally floated off rocking up on some other planet? I like robot space things, those astronauts and cosmonauts certainly place their lives on the line for us, it's too dangerous up there I think.

[gretl]

Robonaut 2

How awesome is that?! And it's even R2!

NASA will launch the first human-like robot to space later this year to become a permanent resident of the International Space Station. Robonaut 2, or R2, was developed jointly by NASA and General Motors under a cooperative agreement to develop a robotic assistant that can work alongside humans, whether they are astronauts in space or workers at GM manufacturing plants on Earth.
...
The dexterous robot not only looks like a human but also is designed to work like one. With human-like hands and arms, R2 is able to use the same tools station crew members use. In the future, the greatest benefits of humanoid robots in space may be as assistants or stand-in for astronauts during spacewalks or for tasks too difficult or dangerous for humans. For now, R2 is still a prototype and does not have adequate protection needed to exist outside the space station in the extreme temperatures of space.

www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/robonaut.html

Interesting too, that it was developed in partnership with GM, not the military. (Unless GM is in that business now and I missed it.)


So try your best to see this "tool" as a socket wrench rather than a weapon ;D

And just keep telling yourself that. Because this is a POSITIVE board, after all.

[lynn]

Yes. It's interesting how its arms look human, then its legs look like a demon. I'm just saying. I welcome our demonic robot overlords.
I like how they've got sponsorship logos on their chests. That's something they don't put in robot movies but should.
They look good too, I like the white with the metal helmet thing. Not trying to look too human. Actually this is how I think the New Stig should look.

[Gilberto]

I don't why exactly, but these things scare the shit out of me.

[lynn]

Because they're carrying what look like futuristic guns?

[broox]

No, I'm guessing it's because it's crawling on the ceiling. The stuff of nightmares. My nightmares anyways.

[lynn]

I think it could be both. And the fact that it looks like people until you see its bottom half. Creeeepy.

[drivebyluna]

So like the bottom half of the Borg queen before she was connected to her robot legs?