New Space Station Robot Asks to be Called "Dextre the Magnificent"
			
		
		
			Credit: 
Expedition 16 Crew, 
NASA
		
		
			In a surprising and potentially troubling request, the new space station robot known as Dextre demanded that astronauts refer to it in the future at "Dextre the Magnificent."  
Brandishing power tools that would make any 
handyperson blush, the mobile servicing system thanked humans 
for creating it and promised a glorious future where humans would 
retain an important role in the 
new robot order.   
Happy April Fools Day 
from the folks at 
APOD.  
The classic fable of humans mistakenly creating technological evildoers dates back to 
Frankenstein 
and includes famous fictitious villains such as 
HAL and the 
Terminator.   
Dextre, although real, is no Frankenstein, since its computer intelligence is mainly geared toward allowing astronauts to control it remotely.  
Dextre 
was deployed last month to help build and service the 
International Space Station.
As seen in the 
above picture, Dextre is truly a 
technological marvel, 
wielding long arms capable of handling both small tools and large modules with 
precision dexterity.