Japan wants people to virtually embody avatars orbiting in space

A Japanese airline wants to send you to space. Well, not you exactly, but a robot avatar that you can control in real time, while seeing through its eyes and feeling what it feels through haptic feedback. All Nippon Airlines (ANA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have just announced the Avatar X programme, an initiative to build these advanced humanoid drones and send them to space. "The giant leap will be in bringing human consciousness and presence to a remote location," says Kevin Kajitani, … To continue reading this premium article, subscribe for unlimited access. Existing subscribers, please log in with your email address to link your account access.