WHEN THE 21ST CENTURY TURNS CREEPY: Japan Engineers Design Robotic Bear to aid in Assisted Suicide. “The growing suicide rate, as well as the senior population is becoming an increasing concern. Hospital Staff, and Suicide Assistant Volunteers from the JSDD are required to help euthanize those who are unable to themselves due to physical, or psychological reasons. To aid these carers and volunteers, the JSDD-Orient Industry Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robotics Research in the Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo has designed an assisted suicide support robot with the face of an innocent, loveable cartoon-like bear to aid patients in self-euthanasia named SeppuKuma.”

UPDATE: Snopes says it’s a hoax. Is it just me, or is it getting harder to tell parody from reality these days?