Context:

• An aeronautics company Airbus has created an artificial intelligence system called CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion) which also called a “Flying brain” for assisting astronauts in the ISS (international Space Station).

More Details:

• CIMON is a technology demonstrator, which is made of plastic and metal and weighs only 5 Kg.
• It has been made using 3-D printing technology.
• CIMON has a brain-like AI network and is designed to support astronauts in performing routine work.
• It will interact with the astronauts just like a colleague because of its interface in form of a face, voice and Artificial Intelligence.
• It may display them the procedures or may provide solutions to their problems.
• It will help in increasing efficiency and security of the space missions as it can serve as an early warning system for technical problems.
• It will be tested on the International Space Station (ISS) during the European Space Agency’s Horizons mission between June and October this year. (Horizon mission of ESA is different from New-Horizons mission of NASA).
• On it first flight to the space, CIMON will be tested particularly on GNC algorithms (Guidance, Navigation and Control) under zero gravity conditions.

Source:TH