Meet Xian’er: Robot monk spreads Buddhist wisdom

http://youtu.be/EAvYuSpCP9o/
01:42



http://www.engadget.com/2016/04/29/robotic-monk/
* Video & Embedded links *

Cute robotic monk knows the meaning of life

Xian'er's touchscreen chest gives him a way to answer questions, such as "What is the meaning of life?" To which he'd reply: "My master says the meaning of life is to help more people finally leave behind bitterness and gain happiness." He also has a WeChat account under the name 贤二机器僧 where he talks with people who can't go to the temple, though we couldn't seem to find and add him when we tried. The temple's human monks have no plans to mass produce Xian'er, but they're already working on a smarter, more advanced robot that might be able to impart more wisdom.
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Asia Pacific

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/world/asia/china-robot-monk-temple.html?_r=1/

A Robot Monk Captivates China, Mixing Spirituality With Artificial Intelligence



By DIDI KIRSTEN TATLOW

BEIJING — Po, the wisdom-seeking hero of the “Kung Fu Panda” films, might recognize this temple in China where the world’s first robot monk dwells. For Po’s Jade Palace, there is Longquan (Dragon Spring) Temple, a place of Buddhist worship in the mountains northwest of Beijing, where gnarled gingko and cypress trees tower over red-walled buildings underneath rocky Phoenix Ridge.

For his Hall of Warriors, there is the Comic Center deep inside the temple, at the end of winding stone paths and steps, past a flower-shaped audio device that crackles sutras.

As for Po himself, there is Xian’er, the two-foot-tall, advice-dispensing robot whose full title is Worthy Stupid Robot Monk. (In the Beijing dialect, “er,” or “stupid,” is a term of affection.)

Not so much “Kung Fu Panda 3,” perhaps, as “Robot Monk 1.”

A childlike creature in an orange Buddhist robe, Xian’er is an object of fascination in China amid an increasingly urgent pursuit of spirituality and, more recently, artificial intelligence. But Xian Fan, the head of the Comic Center, told National Business Daily that the temple did not plan to commercialize the robot and that its development was for “the public welfare.”

And the monks do not seem to be planning a franchise. There is only one robot monk for now, Xian Fan told Beijing News, adding, “We’re not doing this for commerce, but just because we want to use more modern ways to spread Buddhist teachings.”

The robot was created last year by the temple in collaboration with about a dozen Chinese technology, culture and investment companies, according to Chinese news reports. But the character of Xian’er was first designed by artists at the Comic Center for a 2014 Buddhist comic book series, whose first title was “Troubles Are Self-Made.” The series has sold well in Chinese bookstores, and an English-language edition is due out soon.

As a robot, Xian’er has expanded his repertoire. He has a touch pad on his chest that allows him to respond to supplicants’ questions and statements, such as: “Who are your parents?” “I’m not happy” and “What is the meaning of life?”

On Wednesday morning, employees at the Comic Center declined to let visitors communicate directly with Xian’er, saying he was — literally — recharging in order to meet a delegation of government officials from Beijing later in the day. They would not say who the officials were or give their own names, saying they were not authorized to speak to the news media.

No matter. There was always Weixin, or WeChat, where Xian’er maintains an account. (Readers can find him under 贤二机器僧.)

Clearly no sentimentalist, his answers to the above queries were:

· “That’s ridiculous, how can robots have parents?”

· “If you’re not happy, what can anyone else do about it?”

· “My master says the meaning of life is to help more people finally leave behind bitterness and gain happiness.”

Po might have approved.

Many visitors to Longquan Temple on Wednesday, however, expressed doubt as to whether Xian’er could really help people with their problems, though some said they expected technology to advance so quickly that future generations of robot monks might. A second, smarter Xian’er is already in development, a center employee said.

“I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard of it,” Zhang Ping, a middle-aged woman who was visiting the temple, said of the robot monk.

“It relies on permutations and combinations of words to solve problems, but whether it can really deal with deep personal issues, I’m not sure,” Ms. Zhang said. “Everyone is different. For some, those may be about family, for others, about work. But look at how fast artificial intelligence is progressing. In 20 years, I think it’s completely possible it will be able to.”

Another templegoer disagreed. “I don’t think it’s possible for the intelligence of a robot to be advanced enough to understand human feelings,” said Wang Yiren, 23, a Buddhist and volunteer at the temple. “The robot doesn’t really live up to my expectations. But I’ve seen robots in other parts of the world that can communicate with human beings, and that’s pretty amazing.”

He Haikun, 33, a woman who was visiting the temple with a friend, said: “If you have no one to talk to, maybe it would help to talk to a robot.”

Here are some other answers provided by Xian’er, via WeChat:

Q: “What is love?”

A: “Love is your own obsessions not being satisfied, the clashing of other people’s troubles with yours.”

Q: “I don’t want to work.”

A: “If you don’t want to starve and have an O.K. job, work hard.”

Q: “I want to die.”

A: “Don’t assume you’re the most pathetic person in the world.”

Q: “Who is Xi Jinping [the president of China]?”

A: “A robot doesn’t know any people.”

And finally:

Q: “Could there be another Cultural Revolution?”

A: “Wait, I will ask my master.”

Po would have been envious of Xi

ON SUBJECT OF LOVE THE ROBOT WAS RIGHT ON.....

The Chinese are strengthing their robot game....


""You might do a double take when you see this new interactive robot, as it 'looks very much like a real woman'.
Dubbed 'robot goddess', Jia Jia has the long flowing locks and rosy red cheeks as a human, but is being taught deep learning abilities.
This humanoid is designed with natural eye movement, speech that is syncs with its lip movements and refers to its male creators as 'lords'.
This life-like cyborg is the brain child of Chen Xiaoping and his colleagues at the University of Science and Technology of China, who unveiled the technology today in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province.
During the unveiling, Xiaoping said hello to his robot goddess, which immediately responded, 'Yes my lord, what can I do for you?'
It took the team three years to complete the robot, which can speak, show micro-expressions, move its lips and body, yet seems to hold its head in a submissive manner.
The humanoid is programmed to recognize human/machine interaction, has autonomous position, navigation and offers services based on cloud technology.
Hello everyone, I'm Jia Jia. Welcome!' the robot said as it greeted the audience at the university's multi-media center today, reports
Xinhuanet.""
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3542621/Meet-Jia-Jia-robot-goddess-Chinese-inventor-claims-humanoid-realistic-programmed-refer-lord.html

"The Chinese are strengthing their robot game.... "

Wow.. This is the 3rd humanoid robot, I read they had this year.
The first is for sex.
The second one is hand made/homemade & privately owned & modeled after an American actress.
* Threads on both *
And this one... They are really making strides.

Noooooo!!!~~~~~~ stairs~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!...........