Robot Dog Designed as Astronaut Companion

A companion robot dog, designed to provide emotional support to astronauts, has been unveiled by a student from South Korea’s Hongik University.

The small-scale robot dog Laika is named after the first dog to orbit the Earth aboard Sputnik 2.

A video shows Laika running, walking, barking and sitting. It’s  designed to replicate the movements and behavior of real dogs to provide an approachable design that enables emotional connection for astronauts during lengthy missions.

In a separate video, a digital rendering of Laika is shown accompanying an astronaut on a run aboard the space station, offering water when the astronaut shows signs of fatigue and providing an analysis of a user’s vital signs following their exercise.  

Student Jihee Kim designed Laika out of titanium to make it durable even in the harsh conditions of space.

The robot also comes equipped with an array of sensors to monitor astronauts’ vitals and identify signs of potential physical or emotional distress. These electrocardiography sensors are placed on the robot’s back and neck, allowing it to check an astronaut’s vitals while being petted.

The design also features depth and thermal imaging cameras, as well as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping cameras (SLAM) for navigation capabilities. 

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