Floating robot ball sent to space station

An experimental robot with an animated cartoon face has been sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Dubbed Cimon (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion), the device is intended as an "an AI-based assistant for astronauts". Cimon weighs 5kg but in zero gravity it will float move around thanks to 14 internal fans. It is an attempt to find out whether robots and astronauts can collaborate. To this end, Cimon is equipped with microphones and cameras that help it recognise Alexander Gerst, the German astronaut with whom it will work.