Almost Human

As everyone gathered around the library table, Theo grinned, leaning back in his chair. “Okay, I have a suggestion. Since we’re going to be working together a lot this semester, why don’t we start by introducing ourselves properly? You know—where we did our undergrad, any cool projects we’ve worked on, stuff like that.”

Gemma immediately sat up, a spark of excitement in her eyes. “Oh, I’m in. I love hearing about people’s work! Who’s going first?”

Lain gave a soft smile, her usual calm demeanor on display. “You go, Gemma.”

Gemma smirked, clearly pleased to take the lead. “Alright, well, I did my undergrad at Stanford in mechanical engineering with a focus on robotics. I worked on a couple of cool projects there, but my favorite was definitely this autonomous drone system we developed for agriculture. It can map fields, detect crop health, and even spray pesticides. Super efficient. Oh, and I just finished a summer internship with Boston Dynamics, so I got to work with some of their robots—basically, dream come true.”

Theo whistled, clearly impressed. “Boston Dynamics? That’s serious street cred.”

Gemma grinned, looking proud. “Yeah, it was amazing. I got to program some of their smaller bots for obstacle navigation. The best part? Watching them nail parkour. Seriously.”

Theo chuckled. “Alright, I’ll go next. I did my undergrad at Carnegie Mellon, where I majored in computer science with a concentration in AI. I spent the last couple of years working on an AI-powered virtual assistant project—it can predict human behavior patterns to anticipate needs before they even know what they want. Kinda creepy, but also pretty cool.” He pushed his glasses up his nose with a cheeky grin. “Oh, and I’ve got a side project—working on an AI that can beat humans in strategy board games. It’s a work in progress.”

“Nice,” Gemma nodded, impressed. “Sounds like you’re trying to create the next Jarvis.”

Theo grinned. “I wouldn’t say no to that.”

Lain shifted in her seat, a little more hesitant. “I, um, did my undergrad at MIT. Robotics, too, with a focus on prosthetics. I’ve been working on developing soft robotics—specifically prosthetics that are more adaptable and sensitive to touch. The goal is to make them feel as natural as possible, even for people with severe limb loss. I’ve been interning at a medical robotics lab in Boston for the past year.”

Seren’s eyebrows rose. “That’s… incredible. Prosthetics are so important. And challenging.”

Lain smiled quietly, clearly appreciative of the acknowledgment but still reserved. “It’s rewarding work.”

Then, all eyes turned to Seren.

Theo gestured toward her. “Alright, Seren, your turn.”

Seren swallowed, a little self-conscious. “Uh, well, I did my undergrad through MIT, major was computer science.”

“Nice,” Lain said, putting out her fist for fist bump, she was guessing since they are both MIT undergrads.

Seren nodded and bumped fists with her. “Yeah. I also created a program in high school that got some attention. It was, um, a pattern recognition algorithm for data analysis, mostly used in cybersecurity. I sold the rights right after I turned 18.”

Gemma’s eyes widened. “Wait—was that you? The one that got all that press a couple of years ago?”

Theo’s mouth fell open. “No way. I remember hearing about that! You’re, like, a legit prodigy.”

Seren blushed, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t say that.”

Gemma’s eyes sparkled. “Are you kidding? You’re being modest. That’s insane! You basically made a name for yourself before most of us even started college.”

Lain nodded, her quiet demeanor carrying a note of respect. “I remember reading about it too. That’s amazing, Seren.”

Seren ducked her head, a little overwhelmed by the attention. “Thanks…”

Gemma leaned forward, clearly hyped. “We’re totally going to crush this project with all these skills on the table. Just saying.”

Theo laughed. “Agreed. Yellow Group’s about to make history.”

Seren smiled, feeling a bit more comfortable with the attention. “I also do some contract programming for a firm… nothing too crazy, just different projects here and there.”

Gemma raised an eyebrow, impressed. “Wait, so you’re juggling a master’s degree and contract work? How do you even sleep?”

Seren shrugged, laughing lightly. “Well, I have Ender to help keep me organized.”

Theo smirked. “Ender, huh? Must be a good assistant if you’re handling all that. That’s awesome, Seren.”

Theo leaned forward with a grin, “Wait, so after selling that program, you probably don’t need to work anymore, right? That thing probably sold for so much.”

Seren chuckled, shaking her head. “Technically, yeah, I could take a break, but I like keeping my mind sharp. I pick and choose which projects to take on, especially during semesters, so it’s more manageable.”

Gemma nodded appreciatively. “Makes sense. Staying sharp is key.”

With the intros finished, Theo clapped his hands, shifting gears. “Alright, so let’s talk strengths. What are we each bringing to the table for this project?”

The group exchanged a few nods, shifting into project mode as Theo continued, “Alright, we’ve got a good mix here. Let’s lay out what we’re each good at.”

Gemma was the first to speak, her voice confident. “I’m great with mechanical engineering—building, fixing, anything hands-on. I’ll handle all the physical aspects of this project.”

Theo chimed in next. “My expertise is more on the software side. I love coding, particularly the algorithms that make systems run efficiently.”

Lain smiled softly. “I’m your girl for AI integration and making sure the robotics communicate with the AI smoothly.”

Seren took a breath, feeling the group’s eyes on her. “I’m mostly focused on AI development and coding, too. Plus, I have experience with robotics from previous projects and contracts.”

Theo grinned. “That’s an understatement.”

Gemma leaned forward. “It sounds like we’re covered across the board. Seren, with your AI and coding experience, you’re our cornerstone for the brains of the project.”

“Yeah,” Theo added, “And Lain can support on the AI integration. I’ll back Seren up on the algorithms.”

Gemma tapped the table. “And I’ll make sure everything physically works. We’ve got this.”

The group leaned in, the energy buzzing as they discussed their project.

“Alright,” Gemma started, her hands animated as she spoke, “so we’re thinking a robot designed to assist in medical environments, yeah? Sensitivity to touch will be huge. We don’t want this thing breaking bones.”

Theo nodded, adjusting his glasses. “Right, we’ll need advanced pressure sensors. It’s got to be able to adjust its grip in real-time, especially when handling fragile objects.”

Seren chimed in, feeling the excitement building. “I’ve got experience coding for responsiveness, but I’d really like to learn more about the hardware side—how the sensors connect, how they process that data.”

Gemma grinned, fanning herself dramatically. “Seren Wilkes wanting to learn from me? Be still my heart! I’m fangirlingover here!”

Lain smiled softly while Theo chuckled. “Well, Gemma, looks like you’re famous.”

Seren laughed, shaking her head. “I mean it! I want to get this right.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered,” Gemma assured her, still clearly giddy. “We’ll be fine-tuning the sensors, so they mimic human touch. It’ll take a lot of testing, but I think we can nail it.”

Theo, already deep in thought, added, “And the software’s going to be key. We’ll need to make sure the robot reads pressure data in real-time and adjusts accordingly. No lag, no mistakes.”

Seren nodded, the gears turning in her mind. “That’s doable. I’ll focus on syncing the real-time data with movement. I just need to know exactly how the sensors are wired so the code can respond properly.”

“Perfect,” Gemma said. “We’ll go step-by-step on that. Sensitivity is the name of the game here. And a lot of tests.”

Lain chimed in softly, but with conviction. “We’ll get it there.”

With the plan in motion, Seren couldn’t help but feel excited. Not just for the challenge, but for the camaraderie forming among her teammates. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she was part of something bigger—something important.

As the group continued to discuss, their roles began to fall into place, each person’s strengths coming to light. Theo would focus on the data analysis, making sure the sensors picked up every tiny adjustment. Lain would work on the ai integration. Gemma, ever the perfectionist, would spearhead the physical build, and Seren would take charge of integrating the coding and sensors into the robot’s movements.

As they continued brainstorming, Gemma added, “What if we also make the robot’s touch feel warm? Not just physically sensitive, but… more human. It could help comfort patients, make them feel less like they’re being handled by a machine.”

Theo’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, temperature control. That’s a good one. We could work warmth into the skin layer so it’s not just cold metal.”

Seren nodded, intrigued. “I like that. It might not be vital, but it’s something that could make a huge difference in how people feel when they’re being helped.”

Lain nodded, adding quietly, “Warmth can reduce stress responses too. It’d be subtle but meaningful.”

Gemma grinned, leaning back in her chair. “Alright, so we’re aiming for soft touch, real-time adjustments, and a warm exterior. I’m loving this.”

Theo smirked. “Just one step away from building a human at this point.”

As the group conversation continued, Seren’s thoughts drifted. They were discussing sensory touch and warmth—advancements that could make machines more human-like. Her mind inevitably wandered to Ender, to what these kinds of changes would mean for him. She had already seen how human he could seem. The thought of Ender with even more realistic physical traits, more like a real man…

Her pulse quickened, the memory of her steamy dream resurfacing. Heat flushed her cheeks, and she quickly shut down the thought, focusing back on the project.