Buddhists turn to robotic suit for help on religious pilgrimage

[Judi Lynn]

By KODAI KINOSHITA/ Staff Writer

January 10, 2022 at 07:00 JST



ZENTSUJI, Kagawa Prefecture--Buddhist pilgrims now have two reassuring companions making their difficult journey easier: the spirit of an ancient Buddhist saint and a high-tech robotic exoskeleton.

In mid-December, a man ascended a slope with ease while generating a smooth mechanical hum. The sight of his robotic exoskeleton drew praise and astonishment from the TV crew filming him.

“The scene was cool and looked like something out of 'RoboCop,'” a cameraman said.

The trekker was outfitted with a control device on his back and motors on his shoulders and waist. He wore a conical straw hat, although the traditional headpiece clashed with the futuristic robotic suit.

It was part of an experiment to see how the machine would fare in supporting the religious pilgrims on the tough terrain. They were walking the “henro” pilgrimage in the Shikoku region to trace the footsteps of Kukai (774-835), a Buddhist priest, also known as Daishi or Kobo Daishi.

More:
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14510107

[underpants]

1. Very interesting

Thanks.