"Japan's space agency JAXA announced this week that it is looking at a plan to send a humanoid robot to the space station in 2013 that could communicate with the ground through Twitter...and provide astronauts with 'comfort and companionship.'"

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/02/16/2661233_japan-may-send-chatty-humanoid.html

The article is complete with a photo of Sylvie's grandmother. :)