This is some sort of hallucination, no? A dream.
Or, is this what hell is like. That does seem the most likely. Absence of my friends, my Apollo, my city. That does seem like some form of hell-like dimension. If not the one that Dante described. But, I supose that he is quite likely wrong due to not actually having experienced it first hand.
Anyway, I am told that this bizarre contraption would allow me to introduce myself to others and converse with them. And translate my words for me. Which is extrememly hard to imagine.
But, if it does indeed work. I am Grantaire.