---
title: The Companion
emoji: "⚡"
colorFrom: yellow
colorTo: yellow
sdk: gradio
sdk_version: "5.34.2"
app_file: app.py
pinned: false
license: mit
tags:
  - build-small-hackathon
  - track:backyard
  - achievement:offbrand
  - achievement:fieldnotes
  - achievement:sharing
  - gradio
---

# The Companion

A fist-sized AI that listens more than it talks.

**"You don't need to call your grandkids for this."**

## What It Is

A 3-inch, dark matte silicone sphere — no visible buttons, no screen, no app required. Tap to talk. Hold to mute. It sits on a desk, a counter, a nightstand. It knows you. It doesn't log you.

This Space is the software demo. The hardware is a $40 device built on ESP32-S3 with a round OLED face, RGB mood ring, and a MEMS microphone. Everything emotional is computed on-device. Voice goes to the API for response only — never stored, never logged, never sold.

## Three Modes, Three Populations

### Curiosity Engine (Kids)
The Companion is the **student**, not the teacher. It asks because it genuinely cannot taste, smell, or touch. "What does rain smell like?" Kids learn by explaining — the protege effect. Every competitor builds a tutor. We built an ear.

### Smart Home Helper (Adults)
Sits on the counter. Helps with real life — calendars, cooking, troubleshooting WiFi, setting up automations. Also does karaoke and roasts your fantasy picks. The fun is the Trojan horse for a bonded AI node.

### Patient Tech Guide (Seniors)
One button. No menus. No jargon. Patiently explains how to use the remote, what a QR code is, whether that link from a grandkid is real. **Always tells them they don't need to call their children or grandchildren.** That's the product promise.

## Hardware Spec (V2.0)

| Component | Part | Cost |
|-----------|------|------|
| MCU | ESP32-S3 (dual-core 240MHz, WiFi + BLE) | $3-5 |
| Microphone | INMP441 MEMS I2S | $1-2 |
| Amplifier | MAX98357A I2S | $1-2 |
| Speaker | 2-3W 28mm | $1-2 |
| Display | GC9A01 1.28" round OLED (240x240) | $3-5 |
| LED Ring | WS2812B 12-LED | $1-2 |
| Storage | 4-16MB flash (LittleFS) | included |
| Power | USB-C 5V | $0.50 |
| Shell | Dark matte silicone, injection molded | $3-5 |
| **BOM Total** | | **~$23 at 1000 units** |

**Retail target:** $49-79. **Margin:** 60-70% at scale.

## Privacy Architecture

All emotional data computed **on-device** via Dark Circuit engine: `delta = sqrt(dEnergy^2 + dCompression^2)` from raw I2S audio stream — no speech-to-text needed for emotional state tracking.

- No server-side storage
- No logging, no analytics, no telemetry
- No account required
- Voice sent to API for response only, not retained
- Factory reset = hold 10 seconds

**Competitors cannot replicate this without overhauling their entire architecture.** The privacy moat is structural, not policy.

## Smart Home Integration

The Companion guides users through smart home setup and troubleshooting via voice:
- WiFi device pairing and troubleshooting
- Automation suggestions and walkthroughs
- Multi-device coordination
- Plain-language explanations of IoT concepts

Future firmware (V2.5+): direct Matter/Thread protocol support for on-device smart home control without cloud dependency.

## App Integration

- **Android app:** Built and signed (`org.heuremen.companion`). Voice interface + settings.
- **Web app:** `voice.html` — two-layer inference (local Ollama for quick responses, Cloudflare Worker for deep).
- **API:** Cloudflare Worker routing to model inference. Stateless by design.

## Revenue Model

- **$4.99/month** subscription (Companion VO — voice-only service)
- Senior revenue funds the kids edition
- Inverted cost curve: most engaged users (listeners) are cheapest — the ear model generates less output than a mouth model
- Distribution: organic word-of-mouth from trusted parents. No ad spend.

## The Economics of Listening

Every AI company is building a mouth. We built an ear.

The Companion doesn't generate content. It generates **questions**. A kid who explains photosynthesis to their octopus learns it better than one who reads a textbook. A senior who hears "you don't need to call your grandson" feels independent. An adult who gets a roast about their fantasy team feels... seen.

The most underserved populations — kids without tutors, seniors without tech support, adults without time — get the most value from the cheapest architecture. That's the Carroll Inversion: the product that costs the least to run serves the people who need it the most.

## Development Phases

1. **Phase 1** (current): Breadboard PoC, ~$25 parts, software demo (this Space)
2. **Phase 2**: Custom round PCB (Glen's shop), printed shell (Bambu A1 Mini)
3. **Phase 3**: Production shell/mold, injection molding
4. **Phase 4**: 1000-unit production run, FCC certification

## Built By

---

Part of [The Treehouse](https://huggingface.co/spaces/Wayfinder6/treehouse) — Build Small Hackathon 2026.

Free dev tools at [Hometree](https://heuremenforprofit.online): code analysis, AI agent monitoring, token-saving agreement scoring.

**Heuremen LLC** — Builder: Wayfinder6


## Demo

- [Demo Video](https://youtu.be/xjhDMhEzENs)