A small DIY device that mirrors the current state of a voice assistant, visible both when the MacBook screen is on and when it is off.
Displays the assistant’s state (listening / thinking(loading or processing) / speaking / sleeping) via an OLED display showing anime-tyan face emotions.
The key benefit is continuous visibility: even with the MacBook screen turned off, it’s immediately clear what the current state is.
- ESP32
- 0.96" OLED (I2C)
- WS2812B (1 LED for status/accent)
- Always connected to Wi‑Fi
- Receives status commands over the network from the client
- Powered via USB‑C
- Nightly automatic Wi‑Fi restart for long‑term stability
- Expressive OLED graphics matching the current state
(a single LED would be sufficient, but visuals improve readability and add personality) - Instant, glanceable feedback regardless of the main display state
- Designed as a status mirror without exposing internal assistant logic
- Disassemblable case (repair / reuse / upgrades)
- PCB secured with four screws, suitable for frequent USB‑C interaction
- Ventilation holes for passive airflow
- The LED light diffuser was hand‑shaped using a needle file, made from an old compact disc case
- Code is optimized for near‑instant response, enabling real‑time status indication
The assistant core runs on a MacBook Pro, while this device acts purely as an external GUI and status mirror.
- Leverages the MacBook Pro’s processing power to run AI logic and local scripts
- Assistant performance automatically improves with Mac hardware upgrades
- The GUI device remains unchanged over time; only the core evolves
- No need to rebuild or replace the hardware UI when updating the assistant
- Fits naturally into an existing workflow where the Mac is already a primary tool
MIT
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