Bollywood love story for real? Meet Aria, AI robot made for emotional interaction; available for ₹8.6 lakh | Mint

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, a humanoid robot named Aria captured the audience’s attention. The robot developed by Realbotix has its human-like features and conversational abilities.

Aria is designed to provide “companionship and interaction”. It can engage in meaningful conversations with a focus on emotional interaction.

According to CNET, Aria’s advanced design includes 17 motors in the head and neck area to enable realistic facial and eye movements. These features, coupled with generative AI, allow Aria to respond to questions with minimal robotic awkwardness.

Realbotix emphasised that their robots are customisable. They offer interchangeable faces and hairstyles. The company is also working on RFID tags for the faces, which will allow the robot to adapt its personality and movements to match its appearance.

As per Realbotix, Aria and its counterparts are created to enhance human experiences through companionship and interaction. They can be used in hospitals, theme parks and marketing roles. Emotional intelligence and engagement are crucial for such roles.

Aria comes in three configurations. The bust model, priced at $10,000 ( ₹8.6 lakh), includes only the head and neck. A modular version costs $150,000 ( ₹1.2 crore). It can be disassembled for transport.

The full-standing model with a rolling base is priced at $175,000 ( ₹1.5 crore). It is designed for mobility although it cannot yet mimic human walking.

Realbotix has reportedly sold about a dozen units so far. Aria’s developers believe the robot will likely first appear in theme parks as part of interactive experiences.

Bollywood love story

Bollywood fans may relate Aria with SIFRA, played by Kriti Sanon in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Shahid Kapoor plays Aryan Agnihotri, a robotics engineer who falls in love with SIFRA, a humanoid robot. Eventually, Aryan marries SIFRA, only to face heartbreak when her flaws cause destruction.