MARiiMO

CHAPTER FIVE: ACTIVATION

Journal Entry #97

Apologies for the radio silence. I've been busy renovating. I've known from the beginning that I'd need to make special renovations to the house before I can boot up Mariimo for the first time, but I procrastinated, and now I'm paying the price. The anticipation has been torture.

I've chosen a little-used windowless room, roughly sixteen feet square, and emptied it out. This will be Mariimo's room. She'll need a room tailored to her needs, especially during early development.

The first thing I did was replace the door. I needed a heavy locking steel door to ensure that the room remains secure. It's simply not possible to keep an eye on her twenty-four hours a day, and there's no way to guarantee her safety should she decide to wander outside her room unsupervised.

The second thing I did was remove all the electrical switches and outlets. I don't want her playing with electricity. I realize that she's made from mostly non-conductive materials, but I've sunk too much of my time and energy into this project to take any chances. The LED lighting will be controlled remotely, and Mariimo's charging stand has since been wired directly into the wall.

After the electrical work had been taken care of, I rubberized the floor using thick rubber tiles, of the sort used in gymnasiums. These tiles should make the floor stable enough for Mariimo to stand upright, but soft enough to prevent fractures and abrasions to her faceplate should she happen to fall. And I can assure you, she will fall.

Lastly, I used a spray adhesive to cover the walls and ceiling in acoustic foam panels. The purpose of these panels is twofold. One, it will soften any impact with the walls that Mariimo may incur during early development. Two, it will provide a reverberation-free audio recording environment, ideal for audio recognition.

All that's left to do now is wire up the wide-angle security cameras I've ordered. I'd like to check in on her remotely from time to time. Keep an eye on her. Also, the cameras will allow for a video record of Mariimo's behavior, starting from day one. That kind of information will be invaluable.

Journal Entry #98

Okay. Wow. I'm booting up Mariimo. Today.

This is weird. I've been working on this project for so long that it kind of felt like this day would never actually arrive. Like it was just a hypothetical. But here I am, trying to work up the courage to press that button. It's actually happening.

I'm feeling super nervous. Excited, but nervous. The chances of this not ending in complete and utter failure are actually pretty low. I'm almost reluctant to press that button at all. I should probably just get it over with. Like ripping off a band-aid.

Okay.

Here goes nothing.

Journal Entry #99

It's done. Mariimo has been activated.

I crept into her room and lifted her from her charging stand. She's actually light enough for me to cradle in my arms. I laid her flat on her back, in the center of the room.

I must have sat there for about ten minutes. Maybe fifteen. I'm not really sure. When I was ready, I reached up inside her head, took a deep breath, and pressed the button. Her faceplate began displaying the boot animation I had programmed, and I scooted out of the room as quickly as I could.

I would have preferred to be there in person when she booted up for the first time, but I was afraid that overstimulation might hamper her early development. Mariimo is currently experiencing all sensory information as meaningless nonsense. She has no frame of reference for anything. The best thing I can offer her right now is a simple, distraction-free environment where she can take the time she needs to understand her own body.