Incense smoke, prayers of peace and the ringing of traditional bells were in the air at one funeral service this week in Japan – honouring not people, but the “lives” of about a hundred broken Aibo robot dogs manufactured by tech company Sony.

According to local media, 114 defective Aibos were given a traditional send-off at a Buddhist temple in eastern Chiba Prefecture before being sent to the electronics repair shop in the sky.

“[The] owner’s heart is going inside the robot’s heart, like a transfer,” said the company’s president, Nobuyuki Norimatsu, explaining that Aibos share a deep connection with their owners and deserve a ceremonial departure.

Sony began its production of the Aibo robot dogs in 1999 but discontinued the line in 2006 due to the company’s financial troubles.

A new version of the robot dogs was unveiled earlier this year, sporting artificial intelligence capabilities and facial recognition technology.

“In Japanese culture, one by one, they have a heart,” said Norimatsu.

Parts – or “organs” – of the broken Aibos will be salvaged for use in the production of the new line of Aibos.

Buddhist funeral for 116 Aibo “souls”
Japan, Chiba Prefecture—On April 26. a funeral service was held at a Buddhist temple to “return” the "souls" of more than 100 broken Aibo robot dogs. The priest Fumihiko Ooi was assist by robot during the ceremony. He said: “Most important is to thank God and show respect”.
Organizer of the ceremony is Mr. Nobuyuki Norimatsu, the owner of a company specialized to repair Aibo robots. After the ceremony the parts of the broken robots will be used as “organs” in the repair center for other Aibo robots.