image: Source
Funeral also for AIBO – Joint funeral for 19 dead AIBOs in Chiba Prefecture
How shall I describe? Is it sad, funny or ridiculous? This article gives me an impression that robotic dogs were treated much better than husbands.
There is a stunning fact in the article: it
sounds like organ trafficking. Israel must get involved in it. (I’m
kidding.)
Masatoshi
Takeshita
March
2, 2014
Reprint from a Japanese article: Livedoornews
– February 27, 2015 –
Japan
Is Holding Actual Funerals For Sony’s Robotic AIBO Dogs
Source:
With
completion of support services, sad farewells are
increasing.
When a decades old toy breaks down and stops working with no hope of
repair, you usually just toss it or find some way to recycle the parts. But
what if you’re as attached to that toy as you were a pet? In Japan, people are
giving Sony’s robot AIBO dog actual funerals to say goodbye to their faithful,
electronic companions.
Originally introduced way back in 1999, Sony’s AIBO — or Artificial
Intelligence roBOt — went on to sell well
over 150,000 units, despite a price tag well worth of $US2,000. And up until March
of last year, Sony provided repair services for the robots that were packed full of electronics like
sensors, cameras and servos that made them behave remarkably lifelike. Smaller
companies have since popped up offering to continue to repair broken AIBOs, but
replacement parts are getting scarce and the robot dogs are starting to break
down in greater numbers. In other words, the artificial breed is starting to die
off.
So when it’s
determined that a broken AIBO is beyond repair, it’s scavenged for parts to
help revive another AIBO who might
still have a few years of companionship left in it. But not before the robot
dog’s owner gives it a proper send off. Last month, at a 450-year-old Buddhist temple in Isumi, outside
Toyko, a small collection of dead AIBO’s
were given a proper Japanese-style funeral, complete with tags showing where the pets came from and who they belonged
to.
It might seem silly, but anyone who’s ever dealt with the
loss of a pet will understand how difficult it can be, and a proper send-off makes it a little easier to say goodbye. On another level, it’s a testament to how successful
Sony’s engineers were at creating an artificial companion that consumers got so
incredibly attached to. It’s doubtful that anyone over the age of five will
shed a tear when a Tickle Me Elmo stops giggling one day. [Phys.org via Neatorama]
Photo by Shutter
Stock/Hanzi-mor
Source: Phys.org
via Neatorama
Andres Liszewski
– Gizmodo TOYLANS
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