IBM Watson is heading to space in an 11-pound smiling orb called CIMON - SiliconANGLE

IBM Corp.'s Watson is heading to space, specifically the International Space Station, in the form of an 11-pound, artificially intelligent smiling orb. The orb, dubbed CIMON, short for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion, will be taken to the ISS in June by German astronaut and scientist Alexander Gerst. It has been designed as an experimental assistance system to support astronauts in performing routine work. Complete with an "expressive digital face," CIMON will initially assist Gerst in running a series of tests, including an experiment with crystals, solving a Rubik magic cube based on videos, and a complex medical experiment. "CIMON's digital face, voice and use of artificial intelligence make it a'colleague' to the crew members," IBM said in a blog post Monday.