A Bengaluru-based techie, Pankaj Tanwar, has gained social media attention for transforming his grandfather's vintage rotary phone into a functional AI assistant. Using a Raspberry Pi, he created "Kiri," an AI that can perform various tasks, successfully blending nostalgia with modern technology.
A techie from Bengaluru has discovered a clever method to combine contemporary technology with nostalgia. Social media users have taken notice of the engineer after he converted his grandfather's antique rotary phone into an AI-powered assistant. The man, Pankaj Tanwar, revealed on X how he transformed the antiquated gadget into a functional AI companion that currently rests on his desk.
A Look At Viral Post
“I was tired of talking to ugly plastic boxes. So I turned my grandfather's old rotary phone into an AI assistant. I pick it up, say ‘Hey Kiri’ and just talk like book a cab, schedule a meeting, order me maggi, turn off the lights, summarise my emails literally anything and it just does it,” he wrote.
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Tanwar clarified in the post that the gadget resembles a typical rotary phone from the 1970s. But the gadget is powered by a tiny AI agent and a Raspberry Pi.
“It sits on my desk. Looks like a normal phone from the 1970s. Nobody knows there is a raspi & little AI agent living inside it,” he added. The techie also disclosed that simple hardware components were used to build the complete project on a tight budget.
Tanwar acknowledged that the demonstration video may not be flawless but stated the project itself was enjoyable to construct, sharing pictures of the altered phone with the post.
“IDK if anyone would actually want a DIY for this. Its stupid fun having this vintage + AI on the desk man. LMK. (^pls dont mind the bad demo),” he wrote.
How Social Media Reacted?
Several social media users responded to the post right once, praising the project's inventiveness. One user commented, "You are a legend! But more than demo i loved the sic phone you got there."
Another user commented, "Using old hardware to build something new is such a fun way to learn."
"Excellent use of AI I have seen so far," a user said. "It would be so good to find the latest discount coupons for the X quick commerce and then order it all under 100 rupees," another user said.
The concept of combining traditional technology with contemporary AI technologies was also well-liked by many others. One person commented, "You are a legend man," while another stated, "What an amazing development." Someone other just said, "Now this is amazing," while a third user said, "Absolutely love all of your project."
