Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Human and humanoid robot shake hands in space 1st

    By MARCIA DUNN | Associated Press – Wed, Feb 15, 2012

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronauts and robots have united in space with a healthy handshake.

    The commander of the International Space Station, Daniel Burbank, shook hands Wednesday with Robonaut. It's the first handshake ever between a human and a humanoid in space.

    NASA's Robonaut was launched aboard space shuttle Discovery last February. Crews have been testing it to see how it one day might help astronauts perform space station chores.

    On Wednesday, ground controllers activated computer software that enabled the robot to extend its right hand, fingers outstretched. Burbank took the mechanical hand and pumped it up and down, as the robot's fingers tightened around his hand.

    "The first human-humanoid handshake in space," Burbank proclaimed.

    A cheer went up in the control room in Huntsville, Ala.

    "For the record, it was a firm handshake," Burbank radioed. "Quite an impressive robot."

    Robonaut — the first humanoid in space, built from the waist up — said via Twitter that it was an awesome experience, then followed up with some sign language.

    "The handshake was definitely one of the highlights of the day, but I'm not done yet," Robonaut said in a tweet. (A NASA spokeswoman actually files the tweets under the handle AstroRobonaut.)

    "Did you catch that? I don't have a voice, but I sent you a message -- Hello world ... in sign language!" Robonaut tweeted. "What a day! I passed my tests with flying colors!!!"

    Dutch space station astronaut Andre Kuipers couldn't resist a little robot humor.

    "Now let's hope he's never heard of HAL9000, Skynet or Cylons," Kuipers wrote in a tweet.

    HAL was the conspiring computer in "2001: A Space Odyssey." The people-hating artificial intelligence system Skynet is from the "Terminator" films, while Cylons are cyber-warriors from "Battleship Gallactica."

    Robonaut spends most of its time in hibernation aboard the space station. The astronauts bring the humanoid out every so often for testing; it was awakened in space last August and made its first motion in October. A future model could venture outside for spacewalks, saving its human companions time and keeping them safe.

    ___

    Online:

    NASA: http://robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov/default.asp

     

    45 comments

    • Erin
      Erin  •  3 mths ago
      Um. It's "Battlestar Galactica." Fail.

      Cool robot though.
    • Mystery-B
      Mystery-B  •  Big Spring, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      At least space robots have manners.
    • David G
      David G  •  Portland, Oregon  •  3 mths ago
      It's "BattleSTAR Galactica," not "Battleship."
      • john j
        john j 3 mths ago
        Wahhhh !!! You sunk my Battleship.
      • Turder
        Turder 3 mths ago
        boy you tell em! I didn't catch that one, but then again I am not a big fan like you seem to be.
    • James
      James  •  Scottsdale, Arizona  •  3 mths ago
      It's BattleSTAR Galactica ... nice reference checking
    • zMaestro
      zMaestro  •  Huntington Beach, California  •  3 mths ago
      then it called him "meatbag" and stole his wallet.
    • THE BANISHED
      THE BANISHED  •  3 mths ago
      "Dave"..."what are you doing Dave"
    • JohnW
      JohnW  •  Greensboro, North Carolina  •  3 mths ago
      data is on the way!!!!!
    • Joshua T
      Joshua T  •  Greenville, South Carolina  •  3 mths ago
      ever seen aliens dont trust the robo dude
    • TK
      TK  •  East Lansing, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      If Robonaut ever says anything about an evil twin brother, get ready to space it and hope it burns up during reentry!
    • H
      H  •  New York, New York  •  2 mths ago
      If you look carefully , the robot is touching on that guy balls !!
    • RodneyD
      RodneyD  •  Homewood, Illinois  •  3 mths ago
      Here we go. Picking up speed down the slippery slope toward SKYNET!!!!!
    • Gizzy
      Gizzy  •  Baltimore, Maryland  •  3 mths ago
      Red Planet
    • Minuteman
      Minuteman  •  Houston, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      I, robot......just tell me they didn't name it Bishop.
    • anonymouse
      anonymouse  •  3 mths ago
      seriously, people: robots can only be regarded as exactly what they are: highly advanced machines, like generators, compressors or cam/cad engineering were when they first came to market. robots shouldn't be objectified any more than your smartphone or your car. or, we can just agree to worship them fanatically.
    • THE BANISHED
      THE BANISHED  •  3 mths ago
      "BY YOUR COMMAND"!!!!
    • Ragyp
      Ragyp  •  Sunnyvale, California  •  3 mths ago
      Here's hoping it doesn't try to tunnel its way back to Earth...
    • Smart Dude
      Smart Dude  •  3 mths ago
      Oh boy...they shook hands. I'll bet the robot felt a surge of emotions.
    • Angry Patriot
      Angry Patriot  •  3 mths ago
      Another brilliant article! It's "Battlestar Galactica", nimrod!
    • anonymouse
      anonymouse  •  3 mths ago
      Robonaut spends most of its time in hibernation aboard the space station. The astronauts bring the humanoid out every so often for testing; it was awakened in space last August and made its first motion in October. A future model could venture outside for spacewalks, saving its human companions time and keeping them safe. please why can't we just substitute congressmen for the robots?
    • supermagic8ball
      supermagic8ball  •  3 mths ago
      If only Mitt Romney had the warmth and charisma of Robonaut!
     Post a comment
    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

    News For You

    Loading...