A Japanese university has found a way to conduct a graduation ceremony safely amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to the PR Times website, the Business Breakthrough University (BBT University) held a graduation ceremony on Mar. 28 at Hotel Grand Palace at Chiyoda, Tokyo.
With the Covid-19 situation, the graduates couldn't attend the ceremony in person.
Instead, four graduates from two departments remotely operated "newme" robots, which accepted their certificates on behalf of the graduating cohort.
Photo via BBT University's website
Photo via BBT University's website
The newme robots, which are developed by ANA Holdings, had a display screen showing the faces of the four individuals, and "arms" to receive the certificates on the graduates' behalf.
To look the part, the robots were also dressed in graduation gowns and had a motherboard on.
Photo via BBT University's website
Photo via BBT University's website
The rest of the graduates also participated in the ceremony via Zoom, where they were able to send comments in real-time expressing their feelings at the ceremony.
Photo via BBT University's website
Necessity is the mother of all invention, it seems.
Top image via BBT University's website