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A Buddhist Funeral Robot

posted by Fnord666 on Thursday August 24 2017, @10:56PM   Printer-friendly
from the what-happens-if-you-don't-welcome-your-new-robotic-overlords dept.

tonyPick writes:

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]

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by TheLink on Friday August 25 2017, @06:12AM

    by TheLink (332) on Friday August 25 2017, @06:12AM (#558742) Journal

    http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=44,13066,0,0,1,0 [buddhistchannel.tv]

    In an effort to make his Buddhist temple more accessible to the wider public and draw younger generations to religion, a former DJ turned Buddhist priest has been holding “techno memorial services” at his temple in Fukui City, Japan.

    Example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dmPCC5EYTQ [youtube.com]

    Maybe he'll eventually replace himself with bots and switch to full time meditation.

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