A novel monk has joined services at a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Beijing. He moves to a greater extent than or less the temple , chanting Buddhist mantras , together with talks to anyone who is eager to engage him inwards a conversation. Although , visitors convey to stoop existent depression to verbalize to him , because he is alone 2 feet tall , together with made of metallic together with plastic.
Named Xian'er , the robot monk , resembles a cartoon-like novice monk inwards yellowish robes amongst a shaven caput , belongings a impact concealment on his chest. Xian'er tin forcefulness out concur a conversation past times answering virtually twenty uncomplicated questions virtually Buddhism together with daily life , listed on his concealment , together with perform 7 types of motions on his wheels. Master Xianfan , Xian’er’s creator , said the robot monk was the perfect vessel for spreading the wisdom of Buddhism inwards PRC , through the fusion of scientific discipline together with Buddhism.
“Science together with Buddhism are non opposing nor contradicting , together with tin forcefulness out live combined together with mutually compatible” , said Xianfan.
The piffling robot monk was developed every bit a articulation projection betwixt a applied scientific discipline companionship together with artificial news experts from some of China's travel past times universities. It was unveiled to Earth inwards October. But Xian'er is non necessarily the social butterfly many believe him to be. He has toured several robotics together with project design fairs across PRC simply rarely makes world appearances at Longquan temple. Xian'er spends most of his days “meditating” on a shelf inwards an business office , fifty-fifty though curiosity virtually him has exploded on social media. Xian'er was inspired past times Xianfan's 2013 cartoon creation of the same name. The temple has produced cartoon animations , published comic anthologies , together with fifty-fifty trade featuring the cartoon monk. The temple is developing a novel model of Xian'er , which it says volition convey a to a greater extent than various hit of functions.
via Joseph Campbell for Reuters. Photos past times Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters