Because Japan, like most every country that has been hit by Covid-19, has had to impose measures to control the movement of people, activities that involve a huge gathering have to be put on hold, like the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
And, presumably, things like graduation rites. But one Tokyo university, the BBT, or the Business BreakThrough University, has found a way around the hitch by involving tablets, video communication technology, and remote-controlled robots. The ceremony held last March 28 looked like this:
Here’s how they did it, what they call an "Avatar Graduation Ceremony", in a story posted on BBT’s website:
“At the ceremony, four graduates (two undergraduates and two graduate schools) operated “newme” [ an avatar robot that they say can actually take our place when we travel—yet another post-pandemic possibility!] from home on behalf of the graduates, and other graduates watched online through ZOOM. "Newme" has a tablet as a "face" and moves with four-wheeled "legs". When the moderator called the name, a "newme" wearing a graduation gown and hat from BBT University appeared on the tablet with the face of the graduate who operated it, and the diploma was handed over by President Omae Kenichi."
The University's president, as you might have guessed, had to be physically there. No danger of infection for him, though.
Where else would you think something like this could be thought of? Only in Japan, people! Eh dito kaya sa atin, pwede rin kaya to? This could solve the problem of going to school or to work. Kung walang teknolohiya baka pwedeng ganito na lang gamitin natin:
