CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion)

2019: Departure at the ISS of the CIMON 2 robot

On December 5, 2019 the CIMON 2 robot equipped with speech detectors with function of recognition of human emotions went to the International Space Station (ISS) by the Dragon ship with the carrier rocket Falcon 9.

Our common goal is in creating this partner for astronauts. He tries to understand whether the astronaut longs, whether he is angry, is joyful and to distinguish other emotions, – the leading architect of CIMON 2 Matthias Biniok told Reuters agency.

The CIMON 2 robot partner went to the ISS

The second version of the robot received several important innovations in comparison with the first. So, the Watson Tone Analyzer system developed by IBM company can react to emotions of the person. Thanks to this CIMON 2 turned from the scientific assistant into the sensitive partner in a conversation.

Besides, the updated robot received more sensitive microphones and the improved feeling of space orientation.

One of the main tasks set for CIMON 2 consists in elimination of group thinking — predispositions of participants of group to agree with the majority, or the leader of group for minimization of the conflict without critical evaluation of the made decisions.

According to Mathias Biniok, group thinking is very dangerous therefore CIMON 2 will serve as some kind of "objective nonspecialist" thanks to whom the group will be able to start productive joint work over again. At the same time, if the astronaut remained one, he can talk to the robot and pass away hours of loneliness.

Dragon will deliver to an orbital complex 2.5 tons of loads, including 998 kg of loads for a series from 38 scientific experiments and also "hotel for robots" — the platform for installation on an outer surface of the ISS where the robotic systems will be stored when they are not used by astronauts. The ship will be docked to the ISS to the first of January, 2020, and then will return to Earth.^[1]

2018

End of the first stage of tests in space

On November 23, 2018 the Airbus company reported that the space CIMON robot assistant (Crew Interactive Mobile CompanioN) completed the first stage of tests in space. According to the company, a series of one and a half hour tests passed in the module ISS "Columbus" under the leadership of Alexander Gerst, the German astronaut of the European Space Agency.

In the course of work the autonomous system of navigation of the robot was tested: CIMON executed a series of turns and movements diversely. It could define Gerst's person and come into "visual" contact with the astronaut and also photograph it and record small video. In addition, operation of ultrasonic CIMON sensors which help the robot to be guided with space like automobile parctronics was checked.

CIMON is an embodiment of how Airbus sees the future of interaction of the person and the machine. Together with our partners we took a step forward in the field of flights of the person in space. CIMON allowed to lay the basics of the systems of the social help which can be used in extreme conditions. Till Eisenberg, the CIMON project manager in Airbus

CIMON represents the sphere of the size of medbol, created in the way 3D - printings and supplied with artificial intelligence. According to representatives of the company, thanks to it scientists will be able to study features of interaction of the person and the machine in space. On the ISS of CIMON transmits data through Wi-Fi. The artificial intelligence of IBM Watson allows the robot assistant to transform sound commands to a text format and to analyze them: he is even capable to understand a context and to support live dynamic dialog with the astronaut.

Space launch

Crew Interactive Mobile Companion developed by Airbus company together with IBM went to the ISS onboard the space Dragon freighter. the 5-kilogram assistant to a command of the station is made of plastic and metal using 3D - printing, reported on July 9, 2018 in Airbus.

The CIMON robot at the ISS

Thanks to artificial intelligence technology of Watson AI from IBM CIMON will help astronauts with daily tasks, and in feather queue – to the German astronaut Alexander Gerst. Samples of its voice are built in the system of artificial intelligence of the robot.

The colleague of the ISS command has own "person" and a voice. The robot will be used as the "smart" camera at accomplishment of a difficult medical experiment onboard the ISS. According to Airbus, at first CIMON will "accustom" at the station, to help to assemble the Rubik's Cube, to learn to communicate with astronauts and to recognize them.

CIMON is capable to training and will offer colleagues possible candidate solutions of assigned tasks, to display workflows. Without recharge CIMON will be able to work within 2 hours.

One more important function of the robot assistant is social interaction. It is expected that communication with it will allow crew of the ISS to reduce the level of a stress and a total load in the course of work. It is especially relevant when planning future long expeditions to the Moon or Mars. Studying of features of relationship of the person and the machine with emotional intelligence can play an important role in success of long-term missions. Also the robot is equipped with the early warning system about technical failures that will allow to raise the work security level at the ISS, noted in Airbus.

According to developers from Airbus company, in the future similar robots assistants can be demanded in different fields of activity and on Earth, in particular, in hospitals or for rendering the social help.

Development

On February 28, 2018 it became known that the companies Airbus and IBM combined efforts on development of the interactive assistant to CIMON (Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN) — mobile robot of the size of a soccerball, equipped with technology artificial intelligence (AI) Watson.

The Newsweek edition notes that CIMON will become the first "the flying computer" in space when the robot is delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) for work with astronauts. The robot weighs about 5 kg and is made of metal and plastic by means of 3D - printing.

CIMON robot

CIMON uses neural network and also sensing technologies of the person and the speech for rendering assistance to astronauts at the runtime the mission of Horizons of the European Space Agency which is planned for June-October, 2018.

As researchers expect, the flying robot will be able not only to increase efficiency of astronauts, but also to reduce stress level. In case of problems with the equipment, the interactive assistant can perform function of the early warning system and, thus, increase security onboard the ISS.

The digital person, voice and use of artificial intelligence does CIMON by "colleague" of crew members" — the chief designer Matthias Biniok in the blog writes in the. — These labor relations will help astronauts to execute all necessary experiments, conducting this dialogue with the interactive assistant.

In spite of the fact that CIMON not the first robot who will go to the ISS his feature is the improved possibilities of AI which were not implemented onboard the space station earlier. CIMON will become the first rule on the basis of AI which will help astronauts during flight.

Start of the robot of IBM and Airbus at the ISS will take place in March, 2018.^[2]

Robotics

Space

Notes