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from the what-happens-if-you-don't-welcome-your-new-robotic-overlords dept.
Atlas Obscura has an article on a robot programmed to perform Buddhist funeral rites.
What's the hottest new trend in robotics? It might be religion. Hot on the heels of Germany's Protestant-inspired automated blessing machine, BlessU-2, a Japanese company has unveiled a smiling automaton programmed to conduct Buddhist funerals.
Unveiled during the annual Life Ending Industry Expo in Tokyo, a funeral industry trade show, the little robot was presented by Nissei Eco Co. as an inexpensive alternative to hiring a flesh-and-blood monk. According to Reuters, the robot, a reprogrammed version of SoftBank Robotics' "Pepper" model of interactive humanoid automaton, can chant Buddhist sutras and beat a little drum to honor the dead. It can even livestream the service if needed.
Also at Reuters and The Guardian.
Youtube has a clip with the robot in action, which may give you nightmares. The robot in question is a reprogrammed SoftBank Robotics Pepper model. In related news it turns out Japan has a Life Ending Industry EXPO.
Once again Philip K Dick is proven right.
[Additional video clip by the New York Post. - Ed]
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Thursday August 24 2017, @11:59PM (2 children)
Can't believe they're missing out on the obvious "thanks for our daily bread" toaster market. Muslims already have muezzins calling Adhan by pressing the tape-recorder so that's a guaranteed market right there... All we have to do is make them water-proof and baptize them for the Christians. If Catholics are fine with transubstantiation, I'm sure we can get them to buy a few sanctified by a robo-priest automated flesh-of-christ dispensers.
Right?
compiling...
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday August 25 2017, @12:13AM
Mmmmm... I see...
Which personal assistant would you like to hear, free of charge, your confession and absolve you?
"Ok, Google", Siri, Alexa or Cortana?
Note: this is a multiple choice question, you can select as many as you like.
The small print: "Be adviced you'll need to pay the penance prescribed by all that you chose to confess to. Besides, it's common knowledge NSA will get to intercede anyway; depending on your sins, you may experience a disappearance miracle mediated by the appropriate authorities."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Informative) by looorg on Friday August 25 2017, @01:11AM
Hell is indeed other robots ... Crocodylus pontifex approves of this message.