COVID-19: Japanese University Conducts Graduation Ceremony Using Robots

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A Japanese University in the city of Tokyo devised a means to carry on with its academic activities amidst the coronavirus pandemic by using remote controlled robots for the occasion. The university was meant to have a graduation ceremony for its graduands while also observing social distancing.

 The graduation ceremony was held on March 28th at Hotel Grand Palace at Chiyoda, Tokyo, and  since the graduands couldn’t attend the ceremony in person, robots were used instead. 

The robots were remotely operated by the graduating students to accept their certificates instead of them. Each had a display screen showing the face of the student operating it and arms that enabled them to receive the certificates on the graduands' behalf. They were also dressed in graduation gowns.