Robot priests can bless you, advise you, and even perform your funeral

A new priest named Mindar is holding forth at Kodaiji, a 400-year-old Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Like other clergy members, this priest can deliver sermons and move around to interface with worshippers. But Mindar comes with some ... unusual traits. A body made of aluminum and silicone, for starters. Designed to look like Kannon, the Buddhist deity of mercy, the $1 million machine is an attempt to reignite people's passion for their faith in a country where religious affiliation is on the decline.