NASA Is Working on Natural Language Processing for Its Robonaut

NASA's Robonaut 2x was built to help astronauts with physical tasks while they're at the International Space Station. Soon, it'll be able to listen to them, too. "We're working on that this year," said Julie Badger, the Robonaut project manager for NASA on Thursday. The goal, she said, is to speak to the robot and receive stats back from it. The newest version of Robonaut, which was built in partnership with General Motors, is capable of speeds more than four times faster than the first version. Its hands, which come with ambidextrous grip, can lift up to 20 pounds -- the requirement for any NASA astronaut.