A Socially Distanced Robotic Menorah Set

Abstract

Every Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, our team gathers with our grandparents, Fred and Marlene, to celebrate by lighting candles together. This is an interactive experience, where participants pass the Shamash candle to each other to light the next of 8 candles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing prohibits the close contact required for this interaction; therefore, we designed a pair of robotic menorahs (candelabras with 9 candle-holders) connected via Bluetooth to enable candle lighting across a distance during Hanukkah 2020. Our design incorporates existing menorahs and candles with electronic components to enable a traditional, yet socially distant experience.