Japan develops robot astronaut

Humanoid communication robot Kirobo shakes hands with Tomotaka Takahashi, CEO of Robo Garage Co and project associate professor, research centre for advanced science and technology, the University of Tokyo, during its unveiling in Tokyo June 26, 2013. Dentsu Inc, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage and Toyota announced that their jointly developed robot astronaut, called Kirobo, will be aboard the Kounotori 4 cargo spacecraft scheduled for launch from the Tanegashima Space Center to the International Space Station (ISS) on August 4, 2013, according to the organiser.[Photo/Agencies]