Japan holds Buddhist funeral for more than 100 Aibo robot souls
Incense smoke, prayers of peace and the ringing of traditional bells were in the air at one funeral service this week in Japan - honouring not people, but the "lives" of about a hundred broken Aibo robot dogs manufactured by tech company Sony.
According to local media, 114 defective Aibos were given a traditional send-off at a Buddhist temple in eastern Chiba Prefecture before being sent to the electronics repair shop in the sky.
"[The] owner's heart is going inside the robot's heart, like a transfer," said the company's president, Nobuyuki Norimatsu, explaining that Aibos share a deep connection with their owners and deserve a ceremonial departure.
Sony began its production of the Aibo robot dogs in 1999 but discontinued the line in 2006 due to the company's financial troubles.
A new version of the robot dogs was unveiled earlier this year, sporting artificial intelligence capabilities and facial recognition technology.
"In Japanese culture, one by one, they have a heart," said Norimatsu.
Parts - or "organs" - of the broken Aibos will be salvaged for use in the production of the new line of Aibos.