Close X
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
ADVT 
Interesting

After Sex Robots, Japan Introduces Robot Priest ‘Pepper’ to Perform Buddhist Funeral Rites

Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Aug, 2017 01:37 PM
    After introducing robots for everything from taking care of the elderly to becoming a companion and actual sex robots, Japan has now launched a robot priest that can perform Buddhist funeral rites. 
     
     
    SoftBank’s humanoid robot Pepper can now chant sutras and perform the last rites just like Buddhist priests. Pepper was introduced with this new function at a funeral industry fair, the Life Ending Industry Expo.
     
    The Japanese Priest has a computerised voice chanting all the sutras and tapping on a drum. 
     
     
    This bot is providing a cheaper alternative to a human priest and reduces the funeral costs in Japan. While the human priests demand more than 240,000 yen, Pepper will be available to perform the rites for less than 50000 yen. Even as the drastic price difference works as a plus for the bot, people are hesitant about accepting a robot for this emotional moment in their lives. 
     
     
     
     
    Pepper is yet to perform any actual funerals, but the robot showed his skills at the show. The robot priest is actually a humanoid that is said to have the ability of ‘”reading human emotions” and made its debut in the robot industry in 2015. 
     
     
    The bot will also be wearing proper clothing including the Buddhist robe for the role of the funeral service. According to a Japan Times report, Kanagawa-based Nissei Eco Co., which has been in the funeral business, will be offering the cheaper alternative for the services.
     
     
    The humanoid priest also comes with an option of live streaming the ritual process for those who could not attend directly. But despite all benefits, there is hesitance in how people are reacting to this new options. 
     
     
    Japan has already been using robots for everything from entertaining and taking care of elderly people in old-age homes, to being a companion and even sex partners for many. But is the world ready for a robot to perform last rites?

    MORE Interesting ARTICLES

    VIDEO: Flying High! Bride Makes Magical Entry With The All-New Flying Veil Trend

    VIDEO: Flying High! Bride Makes Magical Entry With The All-New Flying Veil Trend
    In a 43-second clip, which had collected over 2.5 million views at the time of writing, multiple women wait for the magical white veil that drops elegantly on them.

    VIDEO: Flying High! Bride Makes Magical Entry With The All-New Flying Veil Trend

    Mavis Wanczyk, Mother Of Two Creates History, Wins $758.7 Million In Record Single US Jackpot, Quits

    Mavis Wanczyk, Mother Of Two Creates History, Wins $758.7 Million In Record Single US Jackpot, Quits
    Mavis Wanczyk said she had played the lottery as a "pipe dream," never believing that it would one day be possible for her to retire early from the Mercy Medical Center, where she worked in patient care.

    Mavis Wanczyk, Mother Of Two Creates History, Wins $758.7 Million In Record Single US Jackpot, Quits

    Mysterious Condition Leaves Woman With A Leg Weighing 60 Kg In Bangladesh

    Mysterious Condition Leaves Woman With A Leg Weighing 60 Kg In Bangladesh
    Elephantiasis is parasitic infection in which a person’s body part swell into massive proportions. It affects around 120 million people globally.

    Mysterious Condition Leaves Woman With A Leg Weighing 60 Kg In Bangladesh

    French President Emmanuel Macron Spends 26,000 Euros on Makeup

    French President Emmanuel Macron Spends 26,000 Euros on Makeup
    French President Emmanuel Macron has spent 26,000 euros ($30,670) on makeup bills in the first three months of his presidency, a media report said.

    French President Emmanuel Macron Spends 26,000 Euros on Makeup

    When Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehr Took Blessings From Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh; Watch Viral Video!

    When Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehr Took Blessings From Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh; Watch Viral Video!
    The self-styled Godman also claims that Vijender Singh has become a world-class boxer only after taking his blessings.

    When Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehr Took Blessings From Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh; Watch Viral Video!

    Do You Panic When Your Phone Switches Off? You Could Be Suffering From Nomophobia

    Do You Panic When Your Phone Switches Off? You Could Be Suffering From Nomophobia
    Mobiles Are A Gateway To An Enormous Range Of Sites And Services That Let Us Quickly Access Content That's Important To Us

    Do You Panic When Your Phone Switches Off? You Could Be Suffering From Nomophobia

    PrevNext