CNET: Avatar robots replace Japanese students for graduation ceremony

[Maddox]

Can't be at a big life event because of the coronavirus? Send in the robots. These Japanese university students refused to let the coronavirus lockdowns get in the way of celebrating their graduation ceremony.

Business Breakthrough (BBT) University graduate students in Tokyo, who weren't allowed to have a traditional graduation ceremony due to coronavirus concerns, used Newme telepresence robots (also referred to as avatar robots) to stand in their place.

Digital tablets were attached to the heads of the robots, showing the faces of students who used a Zoom conference call to attend the graduation ceremony remotely. The event took place at the Hotel Grand Palace in Tokyo on March 28, according to Business Insider on Sunday.

Keeping in theme, the robots were also dressed in black hats and gowns for the graduation ceremony.

Robots replace university students in Zoom graduation ceremony

Newme telepresence robots stand in for university students at graduation, due to concerns over the coronavirus in Japan.

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