Meta has introduced an open-source project called Muse Gadgets that allows developers, hackers, and hardware enthusiasts to link their custom devices to the Muse artificial agent. The project is part of Meta’s research to make Muse more than a chatbot and expand its capabilities in the real world.
Muse is a personal AI agent that can perform certain tasks on behalf of the user, including booking travel, filling out forms, and making purchases. Now Meta wants to connect this AI agent to physical devices so users can use it with various equipment.
In the Muse Gadgets project, Meta has provided open-source middleware and a Linux software development kit (SDK) to developers. These tools let users design hardware that communicates with Muse. The company also offers several sample project designs to help users get started.
One suggested example is connecting Muse to a color e-ink display. Another idea is running Muse on a device that connects to a television via HDMI. These examples show that the project’s goal is not to build a single specific device; users can find diverse applications for connecting the AI agent to different hardware.
On the hardware side, there apparently are no special requirements. Developers can use an inexpensive computer like a Raspberry Pi or an ESP32 board and then connect Muse to equipment such as displays, buttons, sensors, and actuators. In this way, a simple project can become a device that displays information, accepts input, or interacts with other appliances based on AI instructions.
Meta has also launched a Discord channel for support and communication among project users so developers can discuss building and using Muse-based gadgets.
Nate Friedman, head of product at Meta’s AI labs, also said the company tested the code prior to the public release. The result of that testing was a device called the Muse Home Link, which works over USB-C and allows Muse to connect to a local network and communicate with existing smart devices there, including speakers and smart TVs.
Meta even produced 5,000 Muse Home Link devices. According to Friedman, these devices will be distributed free to Muse subscribers until broader availability is ready, and they will start shipping to them in the coming weeks. Interest in the product launch has been notable: Friedman’s post about the Home Link received nearly 30,000 views within a few hours.
According to TechCrunch, the Muse Gadgets project is aligned with plans to develop commercial uses for Muse as well. It is not only seeking regular users but is also working to bring the AI agent into workplaces and small businesses.
In the first week, the company introduced a Muse version for small businesses that is free but usage-limited and can connect to services like Shopify, Dropbox, and Slack. Meta has also launched a business unit called Meta Enterprise Platform to develop its AI products and services for businesses and organizations.
Overall, Muse Gadgets could open a new path for developing AI agents; a path where the smart assistant isn’t confined to a chat window and can become part of a user’s smart home hardware and other tools.