Space assistant CIMON heads to ISS to become empathetic AI partner for astronauts ZDNet

The next iteration of a floating, artificially intelligent astronaut assistant is on its way to the International Space Station (ISS). Developed by Airbus in partnership with IBM and the German Aerospace Center, CIMON 2 is the latest model of the robot CIMON, short for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion. The first iteration, CIMON 1, weighed eleven pounds and served as a free-floating AI assistant for astronauts as they completed mission duties in space. The assistant was able to understand what the astronauts were saying in context, as well as the intention behind it. Like tabletop assistants, CIMON 1 could recognize speech and speak with a synthetic voice.