Meet ‘AI in a Box’, a coffee-table chatbot that can talk, translate & transcribe live audio – The Indian Express
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world. Today, AI chatbots are finding newer ways to do tasks, and millions of professionals are amplifying their creativity. The introduction of OpenAI’s sensational ChatGPT has led to many companies coming up with similar technologies to assist humans with a variety of tasks.
All this is good, but have you heard about AI in a box, or simply accessing AI in a compact box? Well, this is now possible, as California-based hardware manufacturing company Useful Sensors has come out with an innovative way to engage with AI.
AI in a box is a private AI in a tiny box that allows users to ask questions and get answers. The tiny AI offers live captions, conversational AI, and live translations. And, all this is done using voice input. The makers of the device claim that the AI is private and users’ conversations and data are secure.
Another interesting feature is that to use the AI, one does not need an account, setup, or subscription. One simply needs to just plug in and start chatting.
Voice input: Users can attach the USB Type-A cable (which comes with the package) to any keyboard input device. It will later enter nearby conversations as keystrokes as if being dictated.
Live translation: AI in the box allows users to translate between multiple languages on the go. Upon selecting the source and destination languages, the device will split the screen to display the original inputs and the translation by the AI.
Conversational AI: The AI in the box also doubles up as the ultimate source of information, jokes, and stories. The device allows the user to talk to a large language model (LLM) running locally on the device. The LLM also responds to all requests.
Live Captions: One of the most distinctive features of the AI device is that it can produce closed captions for even live events. The makers claim that the device employs the latest AI technology to display subtitles from audio input. The output is seen on the built-in display and can also be extended to monitors and screens through the HDMI connector.
The company behind the coffee-table AI claims that the device runs entirely locally and no information is shared outside the device. It does not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and can only be accessed through a physical keyboard or Ethernet cable, making it safe for sensitive conversations.
Useful Sensors claim that the device is built on a foundation of open-source models such as Llama2 and Whisper. The device is backed by RockChip 3588S SoC with NPU and has an 8GB DRAM. Apart from the built-in display, the device also features speakers and a microphone. It runs on the Ubuntu 22.04 operating system.
According to the official website, AI in the Box is being sold for $299 (about Rs 25,000) for the base model which is pre-assembled and users simply need to plug in power and start using it. AI in Box Prototype Kit – limited edition is priced at $475 (about Rs 40,000). The kit includes the RockChip 3588S-based smarts in a custom 3D-printed enclosure and an external display, microphone, speaker, HDMI cable, USB cable, and power adapter.
The makers, Useful Sensors, was founded in 2022. “We’ve created low-cost, easy-to-integrate hardware modules that bring ML capabilities like gesture recognition, presence detection, and voice interfaces to TVs, laptops, and appliances while preserving users’ privacy,” reads the bio of the company’s LinkedIn profile.
