Are you a do-it-yourself fiend that is always looking for a new project to tackle? Well,
Google is calling out to you with its new Artificial Intelligence Yourself (AIY) Projects initiative, which will allow Makers to get their hands dirty with DIY AI projects.
The first fruit produced by Google’s AIY program is Voice Kit, which leverages the power of the Raspberry Pi platform and gives you complete access to the Google Assistant. When you obtain a kit, you’ll be supplied with the following components:
- Google Voice Hardware Accessory on Top (HAT) accessory board
- Stereo microphone Voice HAT board
- Arcade-style push button
- 3-inch speaker
- All necessary wiring
- Custom cardboard case
You will have to supply your own Raspberry Pi board to have a functioning device (Google says that it tested Voice Kit with
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B). The so-called Voice User Interface (VUI) will be valued of leveraging the Google Assistant SDK and the Cloud Speech API. Google says that by following its
online instructions, you should be able to complete construction of the Voice Kit in around an hour and a half. So, this is a relatively easy way to make your own cheap alternative to
Google Home or
Amazon Echo.
Unfortunately, the only way currently get the Voice Kit is through Raspberry Pi’s official “The MagPi” magazine. It will come bundled free with the print edition of “The MagPi” (issue 57). If you don’t already subscribe to the magazine, you can grab a copy at Barnes & Noble stores.
Brandon Hill
Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join
AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form
DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.
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