• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Electrical Engineering News and Products

Electronics Engineering Resources, Articles, Forums, Tear Down Videos and Technical Electronics How-To's

  • Products / Components
    • Analog ICs
    • Battery Power
    • Connectors
    • Microcontrollers
    • Power Electronics
    • Sensors
    • Test and Measurement
    • Wire / Cable
  • Applications
    • 5G
    • Automotive/Transportation
    • EV Engineering
    • Industrial
    • IoT
    • Medical
    • Telecommunications
    • Wearables
    • Wireless
  • Learn
    • eBooks / Handbooks
    • EE Training Days
    • Tutorials
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars & Digital Events
  • Resources
    • White Papers
    • Design Guide Library
    • Digital Issues
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • LEAP Awards
    • Podcasts
    • DesignFast
  • Videos
    • EE Videos and Interviews
    • Teardown Videos
  • EE Forums
    • EDABoard.com
    • Electro-Tech-Online.com
  • Bill’s Blogs
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

CIMON Says: Meet Your New Space Cadet

December 3, 2018 By Jennifer DeLaOsa

The robotic astronaut assistant named CIMON (Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN) had its first day of work aboard the International Space Station (ISS) November 15, 2018, and it was a rousing success. Built and developed by Airbus on behalf of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), CIMON worked with German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst for 90 minutes in the station’s Columbus module.

The 3D-printed, 5-kg plastic sphere “is the first AI-based astronaut assistant—an experimental technology studying human-machine interaction in space,” according to Airbus.

When it came time for CIMON’s debut, the team at Switzerland’s ground control center first sent software updates to the ISS and CIMON, checked audio systems, and tested the navigation camera. Then, Gerst finally “met” his AI coworker.

“CIMON represents the realization of an Airbus vision. It is a huge step forward for human space flight, achieved by working in cooperation with our partners. With CIMON, we have laid the foundations for social assistance systems that are designed to be used under extreme conditions,” says Airbus’ CIMON Project Manager Till Eisenberg.

During the 90-minute session, several aspects of CIMON were put to the test.

  • Autonomous Navigation: Performed movements in all directions.
  • Ultrasonic Sensors: Tested functionality akin to a vehicle’s parking sensors.
  • Integrated Cameras: Took photos and videos of Gerst.
  • Assistance Capabilities: Displayed experiment instructions on crystallization, showed a video of a Rubik’s cube puzzle, and played a piece of music.

“It is an incredible feeling and absolutely fantastic to be able to experience CIMON actually seeing, hearing, understanding, and speaking. This first, real deployment in space has made aerospace history, and marks the start of what will hopefully be a long deployment on the ISS,” says Dr. Christian Karrasch, CIMON project manager at the DLR Space Agency.

How does the AI assistant work? Well, first it gets ahold of the space station’s WiFi for data transmission, “making use of satellite connections to ground stations to establish an internet connection with the IBM Cloud,” according to Airbus.

“If CIMON is asked a question or addressed, the Watson AI firstly converts this audio signal into text, which is understood, or interpreted, by the AI. IBM Watson not only understands content in context, it can also understand the intention behind it. The result is a tailored answer, which is converted into speech and then sent back to the ISS, enabling a natural, dynamic spoken dialogue,” says IBM project lead Matthias Biniok.

You can watch Gerst and CIMON, man and machine, working together in the video below.

You Might Also Like

Filed Under: Robotics/Drones

Primary Sidebar

EE Engineering Training Days

engineering

Featured Contributions

Five challenges for developing next-generation ADAS and autonomous vehicles

Robust design for Variable Frequency Drives and starters

Meeting demand for hidden wearables via Schottky rectifiers

GaN reliability milestones break through the silicon ceiling

From extreme to mainstream: how industrial connectors are evolving to meet today’s harsh demands

More Featured Contributions

EE Tech Toolbox

“ee
Tech Toolbox: Internet of Things
Explore practical strategies for minimizing attack surfaces, managing memory efficiently, and securing firmware. Download now to ensure your IoT implementations remain secure, efficient, and future-ready.

EE Learning Center

EE Learning Center
“ee
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for EE professionals.
“bills

R&D World Podcasts

R&D 100 Episode 10
See More >

Sponsored Content

Advanced Embedded Systems Debug with Jitter and Real-Time Eye Analysis

Connectors Enabling the Evolution of AR/VR/MR Devices

Award-Winning Thermal Management for 5G Designs

Making Rugged and Reliable Connections

Omron’s systematic approach to a better PCB connector

Looking for an Excellent Resource on RF & Microwave Power Measurements? Read This eBook

More Sponsored Content >>

RSS Current EDABoard.com discussions

  • Bidirectional data bus
  • Will this TL084C based current clamp circuit work?
  • Quarz Oscillator 44NDK61
  • contact admins
  • Mains inverter with switching node going out on the mains cable!?

RSS Current Electro-Tech-Online.com Discussions

  • Wideband matching an electrically short bowtie antenna; 50 ohm, 434 MHz
  • Failure of polypropylene motor-run capacitors
  • Continuity on 1/8” male headphone plug
  • Kawai KDP 80 Electronic Piano Dead
  • My Advanced Realistic Humanoid Robots Project
Search Millions of Parts from Thousands of Suppliers.

Search Now!
design fast globle

Footer

EE World Online

EE WORLD ONLINE NETWORK

  • 5G Technology World
  • Analog IC Tips
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Connector Tips
  • DesignFast
  • EDABoard Forums
  • Electro-Tech-Online Forums
  • Engineer's Garage
  • EV Engineering
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Power Electronic Tips
  • Sensor Tips
  • Test and Measurement Tips

EE WORLD ONLINE

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Teardown Videos
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • About Us

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy