Cimon -2: no longer just an assistant

Cimon -2: no longer just an assistant

13. September 2021 0 Von Horst Buchwald

Cimon -2: no longer just an assistant

Munich, Sept. 13, 2021

 

An AI-controlled robotic assistant is getting a software update to prepare for new missions aboard the ISS. CIMON-2 will be the subject of a pilot study titled „Human Interaction with AI and CIMON“ and other research.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR), Airbus and IBM developed the original CIMON in 2016 as a friendly, experimental assistant for ISS astronauts.

The second generation features an IBM Watson Tone Analyzer to better understand people’s emotional states. IBM’s AI enables CIMON to understand human speech. It also has high-resolution cameras, a speaker and microphones for listening and speaking.

Thanks to Airbus‘ autonomous technology, it can fly freely and avoid collisions with objects.

 

CIMON-2 will also support research on the „3D Kinetic Theory of Gases,“ which explains the properties of gases. It will also be taught German as a second language.

The robotic system could eventually accompany astronauts to the moon and Mars.