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Google AI kit turns Raspberry Pi computer into a virtual assistant
Google Inc. is teaming up with the makers of Raspberry Pi to put the power of Google’s artificial intelligence and voice technology into the hands of tinkerers and hobbyists.
The latest issue of The MagPi, the official Raspberry Pi magazine, includes a new hardware accessory kit, which can be installed on an existing Raspberry Pi computer to enable it to respond to voice commands using Google AI. Google calls the accessory an “artificial intelligence yourself” kit, and it taps into both the Google Assistant SDK and the Cloud Speech API to turn any Raspberry Pi into a homebrew virtual assistant.
The kit itself includes a Voice Accessory on Top, or Voice HAT, which can be installed on top of the Raspberry Pi board to allow it to understand commands. It also comes with a microphone board for the Voice HAT, a speaker for audio output, a Google-designed cardboard case, and a number of wires and connectors for the system. The standard configuration for the AIY Raspberry Pie is essentially a small cardboard cube with a big blue button on top.
In a video introducing the new Google AIY kit, MagPi Features Editor Rob Zwetsloot said that Raspberry Pi owners can use the system to issue their own custom voice commands such as “turn the lights on” or “robot, move forward.” Zwetsloot also jokingly warned, “Please do not do evil with your Raspberry Pi.”
Raspberry Pi is a Linux-based computer that is only slightly larger than a pack of cards, and it has become popular with electronics hobbyists thanks to its low cost and small form factor. DIYers have used Raspberry Pi to create a wide range of projects, from homemade game consoles to smart home controllers and more.
Currently, the Google AIY kit is available only through the MagPi magazine, which is available through a subscription and in select stores. A digital-only copy of the magazine without the included kit is also available for free on the Raspberry Pi website.
Photo: Raspberry Pi
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