Japanese couple wedded by robot
2010-05-17 07:28:03 GMT2010-05-17 15:28:03 (Beijing Time)
SINA.com
A humanoid robot named "I-Fairy" (C) acts as a witness at the wedding ceremony between Tomohiro Shibata (L) and Satoko Inoue in Tokyo May 16, 2010. The couple decided to use the robot, which conducted the ceremony with its audio functions, from Inoue's company to perform the witness' duties as they first met due to common work interest related to robots.(Reuters Photo)
A humanoid robot named "I-Fairy" (C) acts as a witness at the wedding ceremony between Tomohiro Shibata (L) and Satoko Inoue in Tokyo May 16, 2010. The couple decided to use the robot, which conducted the ceremony with its audio functions, from Inoue's company to perform the witness' duties as they first met due to common work interest related to robots.(Reuters Photo)
A humanoid robot named "I-Fairy" (C) acts as a witness at the wedding ceremony between Tomohiro Shibata (L) and Satoko Inoue in Tokyo May 16, 2010. The couple decided to use the robot, which conducted the ceremony with its audio functions, from Inoue's company to perform the witness' duties as they first met due to common work interest related to robots.(Reuters Photo)
A humanoid robot named "I-Fairy" (C) acts as a witness at the wedding ceremony between Tomohiro Shibata (L) and Satoko Inoue in Tokyo May 16, 2010. The couple decided to use the robot, which conducted the ceremony with its audio functions, from Inoue's company to perform the witness' duties as they first met due to common work interest related to robots.(Reuters Photo)
A humanoid robot named "I-Fairy" (C) acts as a witness at the wedding ceremony between Tomohiro Shibata (L) and Satoko Inoue in Tokyo May 16, 2010. The couple decided to use the robot, which conducted the ceremony with its audio functions, from Inoue's company to perform the witness' duties as they first met due to common work interest related to robots.(Reuters Photo)
A Japanese couple was wedded by a robot "priest" in Tokyo on Sunday, the first time a wedding presided over by a robot, according to AP reports.
I-Fairy, a 1.5-meter tall robot with flashing eyes and plastic pigtails, saw the wedding of Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue in a restaurant in Tokyo.
At I-Fairy's instructions, the groom lifted the bride's veil and kissed her in front of 50 guests.
The couple both worked in the robotics industry and has known each other through a robot project. Therefore they chose to be wedded by a robot.
"This was a lot of fun. I think that Japanese have a strong sense that robots are our friends. Those in the robot industry mostly understand this, but people mainly want robots near them that serve some purpose," 36-year-old bride Satoko Inoue was quoted as saying to AP.
I-Fairy was originally designed to be used as a replacement public speaker.
(Agencies)
