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Google’s cute voice experiment lets you track the world with paper

Google’s cute voice experiment lets you track the world with paper

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Google’s latest voice experiment is the cutest one yet. Paper Signals is an open-source project that lets you build a paper object that can be controlled with your voice. The paper objects let you see how Bitcoin is doing, get a visual representation of the weather, or even track NASA rocket launches. Google has built a number of different signals, and the code has been open sourced to let developers create their own custom versions.

To build a paper signal you’ll need a Paper Signals starter kit that includes an Adafruit board, all the necessary cables, and a micro servo motor to get your paper print outs moving. You’ll also need a device that supports the Google Assistant, a printer, and some household items like a craft knife, glue, pencil, and ruler. Setting a paper signal up looks simple enough, and the signals can be activated through Google Assistant. If you’re interested in building your own, Google’s Paper Signals bundle is $24.95, and all of the experiments are available over at the company’s voice experiments site.

Alongside Google’s voice experiments site, the internet giant is also making a computer vision kit for the Raspberry Pi. It lets Raspberry Pi owners connect up a new circuit board with computer vision software that pairs with a Pi and camera. It’s a cheap and simple computer vision system that doesn’t require access to cloud processing, and a quick way to experiment with Google’s machine learning software.