Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#1

Post by nudpiedo » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 9:30 AM UTC

Hi all, I wish to have my own customized smart speaker like echo dot, but fully programmable (Linux level).

For whatever reason I cannot even find any hardware alternatives, just some people who hacked the echo Dot’s bootloaders.

If anyone know any alternative hardware and projects to create such a platform, I would be thankful for that.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#2

Post by Zathu » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 11:43 AM UTC

Boombeastic Mini’s Pi case design could be an option?

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#3

Post by nativeit » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 4:17 PM UTC

The hardware is rather straightforward, something like a Raspberry Pi with off-the-shelf mems microphone module, powered Bluetooth receiver, battery + management (if you want it portable), and potentially some UART/SPI interface for more specific sensors/comms. The software I don’t have any direct experience with, but potentially something like Ada from HomeAssistant would be functional and easy to implement/integrate.

Is there a particular part of this that seems most challenging for you? Would you be interested in developing something to fill this potential gap? I’m toying with a lot of the same tech right now, I’d be glad to contribute.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#4

Post by nudpiedo » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 5:32 PM UTC

nativeit wrote: post #3

The hardware is rather straightforward, something like a Raspberry Pi with off-the-shelf mems microphone module, powered Bluetooth receiver, battery + management (if you want it portable), and potentially some UART/SPI interface for more specific sensors/comms. The software I don’t have any direct experience with, but potentially something like Ada from HomeAssistant would be functional and easy to implement/integrat…

Voice capture quality wouldn’t be any great from all directions as echo dots have somehow solved with multiple microphones.

Also is the device facade.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#5

Post by nudpiedo » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 5:34 PM UTC

Zathu wrote: post #2

Boombeastic Mini’s Pi case design could be an option?

Could be an option even if it is not as fancy as echo dot 4 it’s a great start.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#6

Post by nom » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 7:23 PM UTC

I think you can use a Bluetooth conference speaker for the audio part, they now have multi mic arrangements, echo cancellation, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#7

Post by rogierhofboer » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 8:59 PM UTC

https://mycroft.ai/product/mark-ii/

Unfortunately it isn't going as well as they'd hoped: https://mycroft.ai/blog/update-from-the-ceo-part-1/

Or you could try reSpeaker (different options available): https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/ReSpeaker/

An older interesting comparison of mic arrays: https://medium.com/snips-ai/benchmarking-microphone-arrays-r...

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#8

Post by AlexITC » Fri, Aug 11, 2023, 9:05 PM UTC

This is the closest I have found, unfortunately, devices have been out of stock in many stores: https://github.com/espressif/esp-box

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#9

Post by kkielhofner » Sun, Aug 13, 2023, 2:22 AM UTC

I created Willow, which uses the Espressif ESP BOX:

https://github.com/toverainc/willow

Re: Ask HN: Is there any open source/open hardware Echo Dot alike?

#10

Post by nativeit » Tue, Aug 15, 2023, 5:52 AM UTC

nudpiedo wrote: post #4

nativeit wrote: post #3

The hardware is rather straightforward, something like a Raspberry Pi with off-the-shelf mems microphone module, powered Bluetooth receiver, battery + management (if you want it portable), and potentially some UART/SPI interface for more specific sensors/comms. The software I don’t have any direct experience with, but potentially something like Ada from HomeAssistant would be functional and easy to implement/integrat…

Voice capture quality wouldn’t be any great from all directions as echo dots have somehow solved with multiple microphones. Also is the device facade.

Good point. My personal philosophy is to lean into these problems as opportunities for a DIYer. So otherwise absurd choices for a mass-produced design become the defining characteristics, like making a Bluetooth/voice assistant with a large-diaphragm condenser microphone capsule, and since it’ll need 48V for the phantom power, why not have a lovely vacuum fluorescent display and/or tube preamp between the DAC and speaker? Pile it all into custom machined aluminum chassis, and enjoy your new steampunk Nest.