Feb 15, 2012

NASA != Marketing (rant)

In case you didn't know NASA is still there.  Thanks to our Russian partners we can still go to the Space Station where there was, today, an amazing display of supper high-tech showmanship from NASA.  A man shook a robot hand.


Yes you read it right.  A man (take the time to let it sink in) shook the hand (I know you think I'm going to say man but wait) of a robot.  Wow.

I'm personally a big fan of space exploration and robotic and I think that Robonaut2 will do great things.  It will at least pave the way for this kind of technology. But seriously NASA, can you make anything look cool for the average Joe?  If you can't picture the moment, here the scenario: Without the camera even moving, two guys (astronaut) float behind the Robot (which is not moving) and, after what seams to be a endless speech,  proceed to shake the hand of the robot who, for that special 3 seconds, moved 8 inches (toward the astronaut knee instead of the hand). There's a thing about good presentation: it's called practice.  Or you can you can do it live if what you're doing is so incredibly amazing that fumbling doesn't matter.

How about rock paper scissors? Even better, how about rock paper scissors lizard Spock?  If an Apollo astronaut would have been  at the control of the robot, I bet he would have done something cool.

Oh Internet, help me compile a list of  'The thing that NASA should have done as the first Robot-Human interaction'. Not a joke list but something that's worth showing the kids, something memorable.  And um... let's  try to stay politically correct please. (Comment here or use the hash tag #rb2firstmove on twitter)

I'll compile the list here:
  •  Rock paper scissors lizard Spock
  •  Thumb War
  •  Brake-dancing robot moves and arms wave
  • (your idea goes here)

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