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Build a LOCAL ChatGPT Voice Assistant For Your Smart Home

Science & Technology

Introduction

Introduction

After spending countless nights working on enhancing my smart home, I developed a home assistant that integrates voice control seamlessly across rooms using in-ceiling speakers. Initially powered by Amazon, and while it’s cool, there are significant privacy concerns. Alternatives like Apple and Google also have their flaws. Home Assistant's recent innovations have introduced new possibilities. However, these tools come with limitations such as not knowing human knowledge or setting timers — until we introduce ChatGPT into the picture.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Voice Assistant

Initial Setup with Home Assistant

First, I have Home Assistant running on my system. You can add voice assistants by navigating to the top right corner called Assist. I set up two pipelines here: Fast GPT and Slow GPT. The Fast GPT uses OpenAI's integration, while Slow GPT runs everything locally without an internet connection.

Configuring Voice Commands

With OpenAI integrated, my assistant can handle voice commands like reading the current weather, controlling lights, and more, using raw JSON data fed into it.

Examples:

  • What is the current weather?
  • Set the media room lighting to green.
  • Is the front door locked?

Integrating OpenAI ChatGPT

Begin by setting up API access to OpenAI. Go to the following repository: GitHub Repository by jeelabs and follow the instructions to add it into your Home Assistant via HACS (Home Assistant Community Store). Once added and configured, your system will run voice commands via OpenAI's GPT.

Local Implementation

To avoid constant reliance on cloud services, integrate local models like Faster Whisper, Piper, and Open Wake Word:

  1. Faster Whisper for speech-to-text
  2. Piper for text-to-speech
  3. Open Wake Word for detecting the wake word

Add these integrals using Home Assistant’s Add-on store, configuring each accordingly.

Example Configuration for Piper:

language: "en-US"
filetype: "wav"
rate: 22050
voice: 
    name: "Amy"

Local AI Model Setup

Opt for Local AI running on a server within your residence. It's an open-source LLM with similar API to ChatGPT, allowing easy integration. Load the model into Local AI, which also supports OpenAI functions, making it a viable drop-in replacement for ChatGPT's API.

Connecting Home Assistant to Local AI

  1. Set up a new OpenAI Conversation in Home Assistant.
  2. Name it explicitly, generate an API key (for formalities), and connect it using your Local AI's IP address.

Finally, tweak the system by exposing entities in Home Assistant that you want to be accessible or controlled via voice. This process includes exposing relevant devices and setting convenient aliases.

Conclusion

By following the above steps, you build a highly functional and privacy-centric smart home voice assistant that can run locally, with capabilities stretching beyond simple command execution. The future of smart homes indeed looks promising with such integrations!

Keywords

FAQ

Q: Why opt for a local setup over a cloud-based system? A: A local setup alleviates privacy concerns and reduces dependency on the internet.

Q: What is the role of Piper in this configuration? A: Piper serves as the text-to-speech engine, allowing the assistant to vocalize responses.

Q: What models are suitable for Local AI? A: Models that support OpenAI functions are necessary for maximum compatibility.

Q: How do you expose entities in Home Assistant? A: Expose entities via settings of each device, ensuring they are accessible by the assistant.

Q: Can the setup work offline? A: Yes, the integration is designed to operate fully offline once the models and whispers are downloaded and configured.