Robonaut R2 tweets from outer space

[Gerald]

The first human-like astronaut robot - Robonaut 2 or R2 - has awakened at the International Space Station - and already started tweeting.

"Those electrons feel GOOD! One small step for man, one giant leap for tinman kind," said the robot's first tweet.

R2 was brought to the ISS in February 2011 on board of space shuttle Discovery.

It has been designed to work alongside humans, helping them both inside and outside the station.

Although there were tweets sent from R2s account (@astrorobonaut) before it "woke up", now its nearly 40,000 followers can rest assured the robot is indeed actively "tweeting" as its circuits are operational.

It is even responding to questions and sending birthday greetings.

R2 weighs 136kg (300 pounds), has a torso, two human-like arms and hands, and wears a golden helmet with a visor on its head.
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This project exemplifies the promise that a future generation of robots can have both in space and on Earth

John Olson NASA

The "tinman" has yet to get its legs, but for now it will stay attached to a fixed base.

At some point though NASA will supply it with one leg - for climbing through the station's corridors.

Eventually, the torso may be mounted on a four-wheeled rover called Centaur 2 for possible explorations of Lunar and Martian surfaces.

Truly humanoid:

There are currently four Robonauts on Earth - but R2 is much more advanced.

According to NASA, the robot is "capable of reaching speeds more than four times faster than R1, is more compact, is more dexterous, and includes a deeper and wider range of sensing."

R2 has been primarily designed to show how dexterous robots cope in a weightless environment - but NASA hopes that eventually it will get out of the station to assist its human colleagues on spacewalks.

"R2 is the first humanoid robot in space," said NASA in a statement on its website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14647644


Note: 25 August 2011 Last updated at 08:06 GMT