It's so surreal that Unitree robots travel east to Japan to become monks.

The older generation likes to go to temples to burn incense and worship Buddha, while the younger generation is addicted to tapping the digital wooden fish and making online wishes in live - streaming rooms.

The Japanese have even come up with a more creative idea, creating a "monk robot" that can sit in meditation, chant scriptures, and offer words of comfort...

Most importantly, it is more "detached from the worldly affairs" than real monks and will never secretly laugh after hearing your secrets.

This operation truly combines technology with a Buddhist - like sense.

This is not a sudden idea. As early as 2021, a team from Kyoto University developed the first - generation "Buddha robot".

At that time, it was just a "soul without a body" - in other words, it was just a chat software that could only communicate with people through text and voice.

In 2022, they added some AR technology, and finally achieved two - way communication in vision and hearing, but it still couldn't get rid of the status of a "virtual monk".

It wasn't until February this year that this robot truly got a "physical body".

Don't underestimate this monk robot. It can chant scriptures and have heart - to - heart talks.

Equipped with ChatGPT, it has learned a vast amount of original Buddhist scriptures. No matter what confusion you have, it can quote scriptures to answer you.

The key is that it can keep secrets and won't spread your embarrassing things around. It is all about "keeping one's mouth shut".

In addition to chatting and preaching, its "body language" is also quite in place.

It can precisely imitate the steps of a monk, walking slowly and solemnly. It will perform a worship gesture when seeing people to show respect. When facing portraits of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, or other eminent monks, it will put its hands together, creating a strong sense of ritual.

What's even more considerate is that you can adjust its voice, gender, and age. Whether you want a young monk or an old Zen master, it depends on your preference.

Professor Seiji Kumagai, who developed this robot, is a monk himself, and his original intention is very simple.

As we all know, the aging problem in Japan is becoming more and more serious. There aren't enough monks. Many religious ceremonies have no one to preside over, and believers have no one to turn to for guidance when they have confusion.

When there is a shortage of human monks, AI steps in.

So, they came up with the idea of using robots to fill the gap. They want it to be a "listening ear" to meet people's unspoken psychological needs, and also want it to perform some religious ceremonies to relieve the embarrassment of the shortage of human resources.

I heard that the team also developed a version of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The scene must be amazing...

It's worth noting that its "physical body" is not made in Japan, but from Unitree Robotics in China.

Yes, it's the top - notch robot company that performed yangko dance and martial arts on the Spring Festival Gala.

This is quite interesting. Japan was once known as the "Robot Kingdom". Why does it now have to rely on China to develop a Buddhist robot?

When it comes to this, we have to mention the past glory of the Japanese robot industry.

In 1973, Waseda University developed WABOT - 1, which was the world's first humanoid robot.

In 2000, when Honda's ASIMO appeared, the whole world went crazy.

This thing could run, jump, go up and down stairs, and have simple conversations with people. It was like something out of a science - fiction movie.