A Japanese wedding with a robot leading the ceremony has taken place for the first time.
The wedding, at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, was officiated over by the I-Fairy, a four foot robot, who wore a wreath of flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony.
Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet away, where a man crouched and clicked commands into a computer.
Japan has one of the most advanced robotics industries in the world, with the government actively supporting the field for future growth.
Industrial models in factories are now standard, but recently Japanese companies are making a push to inject robots into everyday life.
“This was a lot of fun. I think the Japanese have a strong sense that robots are our friends. Those in the robot industry mostly understand this, but people mainly want robots near them that serve some purpose,” said bride Satoko Inoue, who works at manufacturer Kokoro, who made the robot.
The I-Fairy sells for about 6.3 million yen (45,000 euros) and three are in use in Singapore, the US and Japan, according to company spokesman Kayako Kido.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
