14 DAY TRIAL // Mycroft is what you would describe as a house computer, a device connected to your house, which acts like a virtual artificial intelligence. In this case, it's a clever mini PC named Mycroft, which is based on Raspberry Pi 2 and runs Ubuntu Snappy Core.
Mycroft is not the first attempt that aims to make a house smarter, but it's definitely one of the most promising ones. The difference is that the prices for the hardware necessary for building a smart house concept have lowered tremendously. Another factor is the size of said hardware, which has been going down as well. The makers of Mycroft don't need much more than a simple Raspberry Pi 2 for the backbone, and you can place several of these mini AIs through the house.
Another interesting development is that Mycroft is being powered by Ubuntu Snappy Core, the latest version from Canonical , which is aimed specifically at IoT (Internet of Things) devices. If they also manage to get developers involved in this concept, they might expand the base with new apps and functions, and all for free, of course.
Mycroft is now on Kickstarter
The makers of Mycroft have gone to Kickstarter in an effort to get the funds they need to get this off the ground. They don't ask for a lot of money and a fully functioning Mycroft version will only set you back $99 (€89).
"Mycroft uses natural language processing to respond to your voice. It makes online services like YouTube, Netflix, Pandora, Spotify and others available to you instantly. No need to pull out your smart phone, log in, select a network, load an app and hunt down a feature. Want to hear great music? Say "Mycroft, play 'Uptown Funk' from YouTube on my Chromecast" and seconds later your video begins to play," reads the Kickstarter project.
The "AI" is also trained to use a SmartThings hub, WeMo devices or Phillips Hue lights, but this is just the beginning. If the project gets some traction, we'll see support for many other third-party components, like fridges, vacuum cleaners, and so on.
Mycroft also comes with Wi-Fi support, an HDMI port, RCA ports, a USB port, a 40-pin GPIO connector, 5 Analog ATMega328 pins, 5 Digital ATMega328 pins, and a power adapter. It's expected to ship in July, 2016.