As the International Space Station invites an AI robot onboard, here are some fondly remembered fictional ones
'CIMON' maybe the first real AI robot in outer space.
Today, the crew at the International Space Station (ISS) says hello to their new AI friend CIMON. IN PIC: Provided by the German Aerospace Center shows the robot during a communications test at the ESA European Astronaut Center in Cologne-Porz, Germany. (
CIMON (short for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion) is an AI robot, sent to the station on SpaceX's dragon cargo capsule to make our Sci-Fi dreams come true. IN PIC: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches just before dawn on Friday at Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Photo | AP)
Developed in Germeny by Airbus Friedrichshafen, the robot was designed to provide support for space experiments onboard the space station. It could provide assistance with maintanence and repair work around the ISS and the astronauts can lay back from the stress they receive due to microgravity. IN PIC: Another view of the Falcon 9 launch. (Photo | AP)
CIMON is especially exciting because it isn't the first time we have seen a AI companion in outer space. (Photo | German Aerospace Center Website)
Gerty from Moon: Gerty looks a lot like CIMON, and is from the 2009 science fiction film 'Moon' directed by Duncan Jones. The robot was designed to handle automation of the lunar facility and to provide comfort to its human companion (played by Sam Rockwell).(Photo | IMDB)
TARS from Interstellar: The famous Christopher Nolan film features four robots- TARS, PLEX, CASE and KIPP. TARS is known for its sense of humor, and accompanies the main crew in their space journey. (Photo | IMDB)
CASE from Interstellar: CASE is another robot shown prominently in the film. The robot was to maintain the operation of a spacecraft which had no human crew. (Photo | IMDB)
HAL 9000 from 2001: A space Odyssey: HAL stands for Heuristically programmed Algorithmic computer, and is featured through out the trilogy. It handles the ships functions and plays chess with one of the crew members. The robot shows subtle malfunctions and had to be shutdown. (Photo | IMDB)
Professor Simon Wright from Captain Future: Captain Future is a 1978 cartoon series, which features a human brain in a life support case. It acts as a scientific mentor to the crew. (Photo | IMDB)
R2-D2 from Star Wars: An unforgettable character from the series, the robot has been described as a small droid. The robot has been a part of multiple voyages with many masters and is known to be adventurous. (Photo | Disney Website)
