Hanselminutes with Scott Hanselman Rhasspy and Home Assistant Voice with Dr. Michael Hansen
Feb 20, 2025
Dr. Michael Hansen, a leading developer at Nabu Casa and the genius behind the Rhasspy voice assistant, joins the discussion on the future of open-source voice technology. He delves into the integration of Rhasspy and Home Assistant Voice, emphasizing user privacy and local processing. Discover how innovations like the Wyoming protocol can support underrepresented languages. Hansen also sheds light on the challenges of voice model training and the balance between accessible home automation and technical complexity.
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Home Assistant's Touchscreen Focus
- In 2021, Home Assistant was primarily touchscreen-focused.
- Users relied on central touchscreens or their phones for control.
ESPHome's Role in Voice Integration
- The development of ESPHome, a firmware for small ESP chips, was key for integrating voice control in Home Assistant.
- ESPHome provides an abstract layer, allowing Home Assistant to interact with various sensors and switches.
Challenges of Open-Source Voice Assistants
- Creating a local, open-source voice assistant was challenging.
- The goal was to provide users with choice and control over their data.