A voice-controlled AI assistant built on a Raspberry Pi Zero W, pizero-openclaw targets hobbyists and power users seeking a dedicated, low-power conversational AI device. It offers real-time LLM interaction streamed directly to a small LCD, enhancing user experience with immediate visual feedback and optional spoken responses.

How It Works

The project orchestrates a button-press-to-response workflow. Upon activation, audio is recorded via ALSA, transcribed by OpenAI's speech-to-text models, and then streamed to a local OpenClaw gateway. The LLM response is received and rendered in real-time on the PiSugar WhisPlay LCD with precise word wrapping. Optionally, OpenAI's TTS can vocalize responses as sentences complete, and the device maintains conversation history for context.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Hardware: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (or Pi Zero W), PiSugar WhisPlay board (1.54" LCD, button, mic, speaker), PiSugar battery (optional).
• Software: Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm+), Python 3.11+.
• Prerequisites: OpenAI API key, running OpenClaw gateway accessible on the network.
• Install: sudo apt install python3-numpy python3-pil, pip install requests python-dotenv (or pip install -r requirements.txt). WhisPlay hardware driver installation is required separately per its setup guide.
• Configure: Copy .env.example to .env and fill in OPENAI_API_KEY and OPENCLAW_TOKEN.
• Run: python3 main.py or use the included ./sync.sh script for systemd deployment.

Highlighted Details

• Real-time LLM response streaming to LCD with pixel-accurate word wrapping.
• Conversation memory maintained across exchanges.
• Silence gate to filter out empty recordings.
• Idle screen displays clock, date, battery percentage, and WiFi status.
• Optional OpenAI TTS for spoken output.

Maintenance & Community

No specific details on contributors, sponsorships, community channels (Discord/Slack), or roadmap were provided in the README.

Licensing & Compatibility

• License: MIT.
• Compatibility: The MIT license is permissive, generally allowing for commercial use and integration into closed-source projects without significant restrictions.

Limitations & Caveats

Requires a separate, accessible OpenClaw gateway to function. Relies on external OpenAI API services for core functionality (transcription, TTS), incurring associated costs and requiring internet connectivity. Specific hardware dependencies limit portability to the specified Raspberry Pi and PiSugar components.