A 2025 Story
Tesla just announced their humanoid robots are shipping to Kolkata. There's no physical shop though. You have to purchase them online. However, they'll have a showroom where you can go and check out its specs. Humans just can't stop thinking about humanoids, Arindam smirked as he read the news.
It's 5th year of covid, and zeta variants are on rising. So there will be obvious covid protocols in place, a limited number of people at a time in the showroom, and frequent sanitization.
'Yeah, whatever.’ thought Arindam as he booked his slot in for the showroom visit. He's definitely curious.
---
Wow! Arindam literally gasped when he saw it. This is slick.
The robot looks very different in person (or in robot) than the holographic AR projection.
It's very slim, has a shiny aluminum color. Looks exactly like a human but no eyes or mouth or nostrils. The face sort of looks like a human shape but definitely it's a robot. The best part is the fingers. They are very long, longer than average humans, and thin. These are the kind of fingers they call artist's fingers.
Heck, it's more machine than a human - Arindam thought.
But he was mistaken.
The most interesting part is the skin. One can put on any person's skin you like and the robot will start looking like that person. But they are not easily changeable as they become an integral part of the machine once they are installed.
Celebrity skins are available. So you can easily have an Amzad Khan roaming around your house.
The Voice of that robot can be calibrated to the celebrity's voice as well. Heh, heh. It will be fun to have him say 'kitne admi the', Arindam thought. He's an old school, still a fan of Sholay.
Must be pretty expensive, he said to the sales rep who was explaining all of this to him. Oh yes sir, they are. More so if the celebrity's alive. They are charging a bomb on royalty.
Ah, I should've got that - thought Arindam, as he wore his usual smirk. Anything new is a money-making avenue for these celebs.
He paid attention. The rep is talking about money. The real deal-io.
Yes, tell me about the ways you want to clear my account, Arindam laughed. The rep smiled in return. She is getting similar comments a lot these days but she's a professional.
Sir, for financials, we have a tie-up with India Bank. You can either pay upfront, or choose to pay in 20 years period.
20 years!!?
Yes, sir, that's how long the warranty is.
Wow! That's a long long time. What's the interest rate?
For you, it's free sir. You're one of the early customers. We have this offer for first thousand bookings.
De la Grande! I think I'll go for the EMI.
Do you have any thoughts on the skin, sir?
That's what I'm thinking you know. Seems like I don't have a favorite enough celebrity.
Why don't you skin it on yourself, sir?
On myself?
Yes, sir, it will look and feel exactly like you.
Hmm. Arindam was not sure how weird it will be to have a doppelganger at home.
Yes sir, and it'll be a lot cheaper as you're not paying royalty.
Hmm. Not a bad idea then. It'll surprise his friends when they visit, Arindam had that smirk again.
Cool. I'll go for my own skin then. Let's go skin my wallet. Arindam laughed.
Hehe, sure sir. This time the rep joined him. She made a sale.
---
The robot was delivered 5 days later. Arindam didn't yet name the robot. Actually, he couldn't think of a proper name. He actually never names his devices. His phone still shows Arindam Pal's phone, his laptop still shows Arindam Pal's Lenovo Z501. But those are different because he never talks to those. This time it's different.
It was a wee bit awkward when it got delivered though, to be honest. The robot looks strikingly similar to him. Its tee shirt has a logo of Los Pollos Hermanos from Breaking Bad, one of Arindam's favorite shows. It's the same tee-shirt he was wearing that day. They took a 3D image of him in the showroom after the sale and the skin's based on that. So, the clothes he was wearing that day make for the permanent attire of the robot.
Internally the robot behaves very much like a computer. It can connect to all the Alexa devices, play music through Bluetooth speakers. His own speakers are optimized for the human voice and not great for music but it can play music through them as well. Its voice is also a copy of Arindam's.
How silly, I did not know I sound like this - Arindam thought when he first spoke to the robot.
It comes with a charger which is disguised as a small stool. The top part is a wireless charger and the robot charges when it sits on top of the stool.
Arindam laughed for a full minute when he discovered this.
The robot also has solar cells on its palm, as all the other parts are covered with the 'skin'. So it can actually extend its hands in sunlight and get charged. Arindam regretted all the Jadoo memes he created.
---
Family members are surprisingly okay with this version 2 of him. And they have never mistaken the robot for him.
Must be the fingers, thought Arindam. The paunch on the front is almost right but the fingers are of a robot.
But the day is not far when people will start making this mistake for sure, he smirked again.
It also is smiling. A smiling robot. Its lips do move when it speaks but the default position is the smile. It's not really looking like Arindam's face with the smile but that's okay. I don't want to have a copy of me, he thought.
Although his mother told him it's the smile. Arindam never smiles. It's always that irritating smirk. That's not there in the robot. It looks like you but only happier. ‘Whatever’, Arindam said and left
'The best part of having a robot in the house is you don't have to get the door, like ever.' Arindam wrote on Facebook.
That has some truth to it. He didn't even have to instruct this. The robot learned it after 3 times he asked it to get the door after the doorbell rang. Read a lot about neural networks but this is probably the best real-life use case it can have, he thought.
The robot learned to make tea as well. Exactly two spoons of sugar, not too full. One and a half spoon of tea leaves in one cup milk. Life is slowly getting sorted.
Someday Arindam will teach it to make cocktails.
He drove around with the robot. It's actually great to nag about the traffic to someone when you're driving. Tesla made self-driving cars for sure but this time they did something for people who like driving as well. Most importantly, the navigation comes with hand gestures. Worth all the money I'm paying for it.
---
An update came a month later. With this update, Arindam's social media history is fed to the robot. Now it speaks like Arindam in Arindam's voice.
Hah hah, finally he's being able to talk his heart out to someone, Arindam thought.
Long live Elon Musk, Arindam said in front of the robot as he sipped a gin and tonic made by Robu. By the way, finally, the naming problem is resolved. He's calling him Bidhushekhar, nickname Robu. Both are his favorite robot characters out of Satyajit Ray's stories.
---
Arindam planned for a solo vacation. The last month was too hectic. It's good for some time off.
The trip didn't go as expected. He planned for a long stroll in stoney roads of Shantiniketan and lazy afternoons. But all seemed off because there was no Robu to make a drink or reply to his quirks.
He returned half-hearted. Next time I'll take him with me.
Upon returning he saw a black mark on Robu’s skin.
He asked his mother, what was it doing while I was away?
Who? Robu? Nothing. He was helping me in the kitchen. Something which you never bother to do.
Ohh helping in the kitchen, is it? Heh, maybe you should get a robot for you too.
I don't have time for these toys.
Oh yeah, seems like so! "Helping in the kitchen".
So what? I am getting old. I can use some help. But not for this much money.
She was being the most curry mother ever.
A couple of days later, Robu did not bring the afternoon tea.
Robu! Robu! Where’s my tea?
Robu rushed after a few seconds
Are you calling me?
Yes! Where’s my tea? What were you doing?
I was sitting in your mother's room. I was playing Manna Dey songs.
Playing? There’s no speaker in her room!
Yeah, I was using my internals.
Gawd! With those speakers? Still won't get one of hers.
Bring me my tea and then play music for her!
---
Some of Arindam's friends are also getting these robots now. Bhoja got one. Same stuff. His own skin and his own voice and social media.
It will be fun to see how these two talk to each other, don't you think? He gave a call to Bhoja.
Yes, but it'll be boring after a while.
Why?
They talk like us. We like to talk to ourselves, not listen to ourselves talking.
Let's have it one day and see, then.
Yes but after covid.
Oh yes, sure.
After covid, my ass. Covid is going on for 5 years. You just don't want to meet. Arindam thought but didn't say anything. People have different priorities now.
So what does your robot do?
Ohh it mostly watches our daughter.
Watches?
Yeah, like, keeps an eye. She's still learning to walk, right? It just watches if she's eating something dangerous or going somewhere where she's not supposed to go. Sometimes it plays music for her as well. She really likes Poran Jaay Joliya Re. Whenever it's played she stands and claps and shakes her head. Quite a scene, I'll send you a video.
Haha. Sure. Send me. Remember, the first year in college?
Ohh right right. That's when this song was released, is it? We all were flying high. Today's guys won't even understand that.
How will they? They don't even go to college now. College comes in AR, hologram.
That's true.
Anyway, I have some work now. I'll talk to you later.
Arindam disconnected.
He sat for a while. All the memories are flooding his senses. It's been long since he talked to his friends. All are busy in their own lives. And those who are not are buying Robus.
Sir, your tea. Robu entered.
Ohh, keep it there.
Will you eat something? Muri chanachur?
No. Not feeling like it. Give me a Marie biscuit though.
Ok, sure.
Robu was about to go.
Robu! What do you think? What will happen when we die?
What will happen to all the memories we made?
Robu looked at Arindam. Then said: I have your social media feed sir. Your memories are fine with me.
Arindam laughed. And what about the ones that didn't make it to social media?
They will be gone, sir.
True! They will be gone.
Arindam paused for a while. Cool, get me the biscuit then.
Arindam logged in to Facebook. People are doing totally random stuff with their robots and posting those videos.
There's one guy who's testing the strength of the robots by fighting with them. What's the point, Arindam thought. Robots are bound by robotic principles anyway. It will not harm a human.
He disconnected the Facebook AR.
Time to do some office work.
---
Listen, Arindam, there's a new project I want you to work on. Arindam's boss sounded tense on AR.
Sure, what is it?
It's some code development at the ministry. Top secret. They want a small team and I am thinking of including you. You'll be the one leading it.
Sure. Can I know what it is?
Not yet. It's top-secret and even I don't have full details. The important part, the reason I'm asking you right now is you need to personally be in their facilities. It's due to the sensitive nature of the project.
I see. How long is it for?
The expected timeline is two years. You'll have permission to come home once a year.
Interesting. Which city I'll be in?
Haha. The boss laughed. Not a city, you'll live in Nangla. It's a small village in Purulia, near Shushunia hills.
Wait, really? Why will I develop software in a small village?
Haha, told you even I don't have full details. But think more like silicon chip research. You have one week to think about it. After that, we can transport you in a day.
---
Arindam said yes and he's leaving. He's not allowed to take anything electronic with him. So he's leaving Robu as well.
It was always difficult to leave the family and go. And his mother always used to be in tears when he left for more than a few days.
Arindam sat inside the cab and closed the door. His mother came forward and asked, did you get your sanitizer? Yes, I have one in my pocket. Okay, travel safe and eat in time.
This time, there was no tear.
The cab started. Arindam felt betrayed. Now, he knows his memories will be created even without him.