News

Strange news: Voices from beyond the (kiosk) grave

July 11, 2004

BURLINGAME, Calif. -- U's inventor Robert Barrows has developed a kiosk solution to help the deceased communicate from beyond the grave, according to a story on BBC News

By placing kiosk-style video screens on or next to tombstones, the deceased can leave video messages to be played after death, to friends, loved ones or the just plain curious.

According to the BBC, Barrows filed a patent application for his design of a tombstone that can accommodate video equipment operated by a remote control.

"You can go from grave to grave and click on anything that person wanted to say before they died," Barrows said. "Messages could include telling your side of the story, making amends or saying sweet things to loved ones."

Barrows claims it would be a far more dramatic way of communicating from beyond the grave. "Imagine how interesting it would be to go to tombstones where you didn't know the person, or historical tombstones to find out what someone had to say."

It could also be a money-making enterprise for cemeteries, he added. The tombstone could be coin-operated or swiped with a credit card. "Cemeteries could basically one day charge fees to rent the headsets you need to listen to the messages."