This robot reads the Bible to old people in nursing homes

Seniors in search of some high-tech companionship may find comfort in a small robot that can listen to them and read relevant scripture. SanTO is a foot-and-a-half tall robot resembles the sort of altar or figurine a Catholic may use to decorate their home. But it's equipped with software it uses to listen to people, scan their faces for signs of specific emotions, and select religious texts that may be relevant to their troubles, according to The Wall Street Journal -- heralding a new marriage of religion and technology that challenges who, or what, can influence a person's faith. When Waseda University roboticist Gabriele Trovato designed SanTO, he was warned by religious leaders to not let AI interpret scripture, just recite it, the WSJ reports. "They said there is a human factor which is very important in the communication of faith," Trovato told the WSJ.