Artificial Intelligence allows computers to perform increasingly complex tasks like understanding speech or identifying what’s in an image. AI built into hardware lets you build devices that feel more personal, can be trained to solve individual problems, and do things people haven’t thought of yet. Building AI-based things used to require expensive hardware and an advanced computer science degree, but with AIY Projects we’ve created two simple kits that allow students and makers to start building, playing and learning about AI.

Each kit takes you through step-by-step instructions to build a cardboard shell and then install the electronics to assemble your own device. 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. Along the way you learn the basics of building simple electronic circuits, some light programming, and setting up a Raspberry Pi (a small circuit board computer). But building the kit is just a starting point, and once it’s built you can start to customize its functionality and dive even deeper into programming and hardware.

Since launching these kits last year, we’ve seen interest from parents and teachers who have found the products to be great learning tools in and out of the classroom. While the changing nature of work means that our students may have jobs that haven't yet been imagined, we do know that computer science skills—like analytical thinking and creative problem solving— will be crucial in the future. AIY Projects kits aim to help prepare students, lowering the barriers to entry for learning computer science.

We’ve created a new version of our original kits that make classroom use easier with the AIY Vision Kit 2 and the AIY Voice Kit 2. Each one now includes everything you need to get going right in the box. We’ve also released a new Android App that greatly simplifies configuration of the device.

To help students learn more about AI we’re introducing a new AIY Models area to our site that showcases a collection of pre-built AI models designed to work with AIY kits. Now students can load up new models to explore different facets of AI, like a new smile detector model that lets you instantly tell whether someone looking into a Vision Kit is smiling. Over time we’ll be adding new models that explore new functionality and content about each model.

Finally, on the refreshed the AIY website we’ve improved documentation with better photos and instructions, to make it easier for young makers to get started and learn as they build.  

These are our first steps in starting to address the needs of the STEM market and improving our products for parents, students and teachers. However, it’s also the start of a conversation with the STEM community to learn more about their needs as we build, iterate, and make content for our new and existing products. Send us your feedback, thoughts, and ideas on how we can make these kits a meaningful part of STEM education at [email protected] or stop by Maker Faire in May and ISTE in June.

The new Vision Kit and Voice Kit have arrived at U.S. Target Stores and Target.com this month and we’re working to make them globally available through retailers worldwide. Be sure to sign up on our mailing list to be notified when our products become available, or check out what we’re doing on social media by searching for #aiyprojects.

Earlier this year, we kicked off AIY Projects to help makers experiment with and learn about artificial intelligence. Our first release, AIY Voice Kit, was a huge hit! People built many amazing projects, showing what was possible with voice recognition in maker projects.

Today, we’re excited to announce our latest AIY Project, the Vision Kit. It’s our first project that features on-device neural network acceleration, providing powerful computer vision without a cloud connection.  

What’s in the AIY Vision Kit?

The kit includes a cardboard outer shell, the VisionBonnet circuit board, an RGB arcade-style button, a piezo speaker, a macro/wide lens kit, a tripod mounting nut and other connecting components.

The main component of AIY Vision Kit is the VisionBonnet board for Raspberry Pi. The bonnet features the Intel® Movidius™ MA2450, a low-power vision processing unit capable of running neural network models on-device.

The provided software includes three TensorFlow-based neural network models for different vision applications. One based on MobileNets can recognize a thousand common objects, a second can recognize faces and their expressions and the third is a person, cat and dog detector. We've also included a tool to compile models for Vision Kit, so you can train and retrain models with TensorFlow on your workstation or any cloud service.

We also provide a Python API that gives you the ability to change the RGB button colors, adjust the piezo element sounds and access the four GPIO pins.

With all of these features, you can explore many creative builds that use computer vision. For example, you can:

• Identify all kinds of plant and animal species

• See when your dog is at the back door

• See when your car left the driveway

• See that your guests are delighted by your holiday decorations

• See when your little brother comes into your room (sound the alarm!)

Where can you get it?

AIY Vision Kit will be available in stores in early December. Pre-order your kit today through Micro Center.

** Please note that full assembly requires Raspberry Pi Zero W, Raspberry Pi Camera and a micro SD card, which must be purchased separately.

We're listening

Please let us know how we can improve on future kits and show us what you’re building by using the #AIYProjects hashtag on social media.

We’re excited to see what you build!