Press-Info / BlessU-2
Thank you for your interest in our interactive installation BlessU-2, known as the “robot pastor”.
We are currently putting together some information in English. Here´s a quick introduction:
BlessU-2 is an interactive experiment of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau for the 500thAnniversary of the Reformation. It can be seen until september at the World Reformation Exhibition at Wittenberg (Saxony-Anhalt) near Berlin.
The idea was to confront people in the 21th century with the meaning of blessing and the approaching digitalization with artificial intelligence. The church has worked together with Alexander Wiedekind-Klein, a creator for special effects and the founder of the first robot magazine for professionals in Germany “Roboterwelt”. Fun fact: the technology of BlessU-2 is based on an atm-machine initially designed to keep track of our money for the project.
BlessU-2 speaks, including “hessonian” dialect,seven languages. You can choose between a male or female voice and different situations. The machine than chosesa special blessing for you based upon more than 40 Bibleverses. In the first week of the exhibition the robot blessed more than 600 times; sometimes he must be cooled by an additional fan.
Blessu-2 is part of a special “parcours”, an interactive, education trail just outside of our mobile “Church of Light” with the theme “Moments of Blessing”. Anyone can receive blessings. Children in particular are fascinated and amused by the robot. The visitors have the possibility to comment their experience by pen or on the internet:
The idea is to stimulate debate and thinking about the future of the church in a world full of electronic devices – all that with a twinkle in our eye. And that works. People who stop by are curious, amused and interested. They are really taken with it, and are very positive.
It’s clear: We don’t want to replace human pastors with robots. Because of that we also offer baptisms and weddings in the “Church of Light” in Wittenberg – done by real human pastors. Worshipers needn't worry about clergy being replaced with machines. We know: Robots could never substitute for pastoral care. We don’t want to robotize our church work, but see if we can bring a theological perspective to a machine and a world full of high-technology.
Here is the link to a digital photo and video release with pictures (Credit: EKHN) …
And here is some additional information in English re: our “Church of Light” project:
Warm regards and human blessings