Google releases new DIY AI kits

[Becky]

Last year, Google released two kits which allowed people to include AI in their own projects - they have called this 'AIY'. There are two kits - the Voice Kit allows you to build a voice-controlled speaker, and the Vision Kit which can be used to build a camera capable of recognising things. The kits have now been redesigned to work with the Raspberry Pi Zero WH, which is included in each kit.

We're taking the first of many steps to help educators integrate AIY into STEM lesson plans and help prepare students for the challenges of the future by launching a new version of our AIY kits. The Voice Kit lets you build a voice controlled speaker, while the Vision Kit lets you build a camera that learns to recognize people and objects (check it out here). The new kits make getting started a little easier with clearer instructions, a new app and all the parts in one box.

To make setup easier, both kits have been redesigned to work with the new Raspberry Pi Zero WH, which comes included in the box, along with the USB connector cable and pre-provisioned SD card. Now users no longer need to download the software image and can get running faster. The updated AIY Vision Kit v1.1 also includes the Raspberry Pi Camera v2.

Read more on the Google Blog and AIY Projects

 

[Abraham Andres Luna]

Wow these are some powerful tools. I just found the setting in my Photos app that allowed my computer to scan my photos and identify the people in them. Very creepy if you ask me because I didn't know it was happening and the app didn't ask me before it decided to do it. What makes these software companies think that we want the AI to listen to our every word or search our files for personal info?

 

[Becky]

I'm sure in time it will be well regulated, but I imagine it will take a while to get there. In the meantime... be careful!