NASA shows off Robonaut's gigantic new legs ahead of 2014 upgrade (video)
NASA's Robonaut assistant is about to get its biggest upgrade yet... and we do mean big. As part of a preview at ABC News, the space agency has revealed what its robot will look like when it gets legs in early 2014. Simply put, it's massive -- at eight feet tall and roughly 500 pounds, the mobilized machine will dwarf all of its human teammates. However, there's good reasons for the extra-large limbs. Astronaut Cady Coleman says that they'll let Robonaut climb swiftly through hatches on the International Space Station, giving it the stride of an "antelope" rather than making it take dainty steps. The improved automaton will have to learn how to move before it's ready to help its organic counterparts, but it could soon save ISS crew members from risky (or simply mundane) tasks.
