Skip to main content

Meet Pepper, Japan's robot priest that can now conduct funerals

By

Japan is already known for being at the forefront of humanoid robots that take over traditionally human jobs (hotel concierge and elderly companions, for instance). Now they can add robot funeral priests to their list.

Japan's telecommunications company SoftBank just unveiled "Pepper," its robot priest, dressed in Buddhist robes, that can chant Buddhist scriptures, play the drum, and livestream the ceremony for people who can't attend the funeral in person. The demo took place at Japan's "Life Ending Industry Expo" in Tokyo last Wednesday.

According to The Guardian:

    The robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair, the Life Ending Industry Expo, in Tokyo, shown off by plastic molding maker Nissei Eco.

    With the average cost of a funeral in Japan reaching in excess of £20,000, according to data from Japan’s Consumer Association in 2008, and human priests costing £1,700, Nissei Eco is looking to undercut the market with Pepper available for just £350 per funeral.

Pepper (not a name I'd expect a Buddhist priest to have, but this is a robot we're talking about after all) has not yet been hired for a real funeral.

/ Carla Sinclair / 10:43 am Fri Aug 25, 2017

Meet Pepper, Japan's robot priest that can now conduct funerals

Japan is already known for being at the forefront of humanoid robots that take over traditionally human jobs (hotel concierge and elderly companions, for instance). Now they can add robot funeral priests to their list.
Japan's telecommunications company SoftBank just unveiled "Pepper," its robot priest, dressed in Buddhist robes, that can chant Buddhist scriptures, play the drum, and livestream the ceremony for people who can't attend the funeral in person. The demo took place at Japan's "Life Ending Industry Expo" in Tokyo last Wednesday.

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
According to The Guardian:
The robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair, the Life Ending Industry Expo, in Tokyo, shown off by plastic molding maker Nissei Eco.
With the average cost of a funeral in Japan reaching in excess of £20,000, according to data from Japan’s Consumer Association in 2008, and human priests costing £1,700, Nissei Eco is looking to undercut the market with Pepper available for just £350 per funeral.
Pepper (not a name I'd expect a Buddhist priest to have, but this is a robot we're talking about after all) has not yet been hired for a real funeral.
LATEST POSTS FROM BOING BOING & DIGITAL TRENDS

Instagram’s new Face Filter feature is just like…

Instagram is appealing to the Snapchat crowd (again) with the launch on…
Powered By
/ Carla Sinclair / 10:43 am Fri Aug 25, 2017

Meet Pepper, Japan's robot priest that can now conduct funerals

Japan is already known for being at the forefront of humanoid robots that take over traditionally human jobs (hotel concierge and elderly companions, for instance). Now they can add robot funeral priests to their list.
Japan's telecommunications company SoftBank just unveiled "Pepper," its robot priest, dressed in Buddhist robes, that can chant Buddhist scriptures, play the drum, and livestream the ceremony for people who can't attend the funeral in person. The demo took place at Japan's "Life Ending Industry Expo" in Tokyo last Wednesday.

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
According to The Guardian:
The robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair, the Life Ending Industry Expo, in Tokyo, shown off by plastic molding maker Nissei Eco.
With the average cost of a funeral in Japan reaching in excess of £20,000, according to data from Japan’s Consumer Association in 2008, and human priests costing £1,700, Nissei Eco is looking to undercut the market with Pepper available for just £350 per funeral.
Pepper (not a name I'd expect a Buddhist priest to have, but this is a robot we're talking about after all) has not yet been hired for a real funeral.
LATEST POSTS FROM BOING BOING & DIGITAL TRENDS

Olympus’ new TG-5 flagship can record just how tough it…

Olympus' flagship rugged TG-series compact camera is getting an upgrade…
Powered By
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

6 Effective Ways to Stop Thinking About Someone

By
Do you always feel, that you are doing all the work in your relationship? Are always walking on eggshells and doing the things they want? Do your texts go unanswered and you get calls only when they need you? If your answer to these questions is ‘yes’, then, there is a good chance, that you might be in a ‘one-sided’ relationship. Hold on a minute! Don’t panic. The most important thing to realise, is that you have already put in massive amounts of effort, into making something work for you two. At this point, you need to understand your happiness matter too. I know they have been mean to you and forced you to think that their happiness is the only important thing in the world. It’s not! You don’t need a magic formula to fix your situation. It is the time to drop that unhealthy baggage and take a step towards your happiness. This is how you do it: 1. Acceptance and grief You must realize, that there is nothing special between you two, and it woul...
Post a Comment
Read more

Arizona, Texas: National Guard send 400 troops to border after Trump's order

By
The US states of Texas and Arizona on Friday announced plans to send National Guard troops to the southern border with Mexico after President Donald Trump ordered a thousands-strong deployment to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The Texas National Guard said it would send 250 troops to the border within 72 hours and had already deployed two Lakota helicopters, while Arizona’s governor said he would send 150 personnel next week. “The Texas national guard is preparing to immediately deploy with supporting aircraft, vehicles and equipment to the Texas-Mexico border,” Brigadier General Tracy Norris, the commanding general of the Texas National Guard, told reporters at a briefing. “This deployment has begun with the movement of equipment and troops today. Within 72 hours the Texas military department will have 250 personnel along with ground surveillance vehicles as well as light and medium aviation platforms,” she added. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced his ...
Post a Comment
Read more

''President Buhari is healthier than 80% of Nigerians'' Chris Ngige

By
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says President Buhari is healthier than 80 percent of Nigerians. The Minister  said this about President Buhari when he spoke with journalists in Awka, Anambra State. According to Ngige, the age of President Buhari does not in anyway impede his leadership skills. He drew example from Malayia where he said when the nation was in chaos, they had to bring in 93-year-old, Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, to lead it as a prime minister. When he was asked to speak on the seeming fatigued persona president Buhari has been noticed to have in recent times, Ngige said “That man (Buhari) you see there is healthier than 80 per cent of Nigerians. I’m a medical doctor; I can tell you authoritatively that he is healthier than most people who see his health as an issue. He sits for over eight hours during our executive meetings. While some of us would be going for tea break to stretch our legs, Mr President...
Read more