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[Project] Mycroft AI Assistant (Part 1 - Planning)

Mycroft AI has been a project of interest to me. I recently got to thinking whether I am able to build a Mycroft AI assistant (like actually doing it instead of dreaming that it will come to life).

So while day dreaming the other day, I remembered that Mycroft AI can be run either from the command line on Linux, or burnt onto an SD card and subsequently running it on a Raspberry Pi 3B or better. Android is also supported but I am lazy to try to learn how to use Android Studio.

By now, I think I have made it quite clear that I will try everything in the world to avoid using a Raspberry Pi. And also when I was dreaming, the thought that came to me was "why not build the while thing in an Echo Dot or Home Mini form factor?" (about 10x5cm).

I decided that I need to use smaller SBCs so I can have more freedom with the build. But small SBCs are not the most powerful in the market.

So I set out to search for Small SBCs that have the tech specs to stand a chance against the Raspberry Pi 3B. The specs to beat are...
  • CPU: Quad-core 1.2GHz, 64-bit (and a 64-bit OS)
  • RAM: 1GB LPDDR2@900MHz
  • Storage: microSD or better/faster storage options
  • USB: USB2.0 or better
  • Size: 8.6cm x 5.7cm

So by searching around, I have settled with SBCs from OrangePi as they are cheaper. The CPUs will either be based on the Allwinner H5 or H6, both 64-bit.

I did consider the NanoPi series, but I am not willing to pay US$7 just for shipping. Banana Pis are all 32-bit boards (the only 64-bit one is very large in size). Pine64 also charges quite a premium for shipping.

So the series from OrangePi we are looking at are those smaller than RPis, which actually surprised me as there are still quite a number of options to choose from. But after some quick filtering (i.e. 64-bit CPUs), we are down to the Lite2, Zero Plus, Zero 2 Plus, and One.

I first ruled out the Zero Plus as there is an ethernet jack and I do not need one. However, I do require WiFi (not a fan of dongles), so that also rules out the One.

So now, out of the choices, that leaves the Lite2 and Zero 2 Plus. The biggest difference between these two is the amount of RAM -- Lite2 has 1GB while Zero 2 Plus has 512MB of it. Off to TaoBao to check out their prices.

They were on sale when I checked. The Lite2 is selling for RMB159 (SG$32) while the Zero Plus 2 (with 8GB eMMC) is going for RMB99 (SG$20). So... I ordered both! For context, both boards (and accessories, shipping included) will cost just above an RPi here (SG$53~).

But sadly the Lite2 is out of stock. So I will have to work with the Zero 2 Plus. But it should be fine as the Zero 2 Plus has the same CPU clock speed as the RPi 3B, but has (assuming) faster DDR3 RAM. My assumption is that the only hard requirement to hit is the CPU speed as that is the only thing that changed between RPi versions. With proper cooling as well, I can also overclock the OPi Zero Plus 2 as well to try to get better performance.

The Zero Plus 2 has the following specs, which in my opinion is enough to stand up against the RPi 3B. Note the word "stand up" and not "be better than".
  • CPU: Allwinner H5, Quad core 1.2GHz, 64-bit (with a 64-bit OS)
  • RAM: 512MB, DDR3
  • Storage: 8GB eMMC
  • USB: 2.0, 1 on board, 2 expandable
  • Size: 4.8cm x 4.6cm
For now, I can only wait for the board to arrive. So that gives me time to design the whole setup as well as plan further on the individual components.

That's all for this post. Subscribe to be notified of updates to the project. And I am honestly quite excited how this project will turn out.
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