Meta unveils Muse Gadgets for open-source AI hardware

Meta has introduced Muse Gadgets, a new open-source project designed to help hobbyists and developers build their own artificial intelligence hardware. The release includes firmware tailored for ESP32 boards alongside a Linux software development kit (SDK). These tools allow creators to link their custom-built physical devices directly to Meta's AI agent, Muse. The entire project is released under the permissive Apache 2.0 license, and Meta has established a dedicated Discord community to foster collaboration and troubleshooting among builders.

Alongside the open-source software, Meta has developed its own hardware prototype called the Muse Home Link. This compact USB-C device acts as a bridge between the Muse AI agent and a user's local home network. Once connected, the gadget enables the AI to control smart home appliances, televisions, speakers, and other electronics that feature an HTTPS interface. Meta has already manufactured 5,000 units of the Muse Home Link, which are scheduled to ship in the coming weeks. These initial devices will be distributed for free to existing Muse subscribers on a first-come, first-served basis.

For hardware developers and AI practitioners, this initiative lowers the barrier to entry for prototyping physical AI integrations. Instead of building proprietary communication protocols from scratch, developers can leverage Meta's SDK to experiment with novel form factors. This open-source strategy also serves as a clever research mechanism for Meta. By observing what the developer community designs, the tech giant can gather real-world data on which hardware designs and use cases resonate most with users.

This move comes at a time when the tech industry has yet to settle on a dominant physical form factor for ambient AI. While competitors like Apple and OpenAI are reportedly developing their own dedicated consumer AI devices, Meta has already found mainstream traction with its Ray-Ban smart glasses. By open-sourcing the underlying infrastructure for Muse, Meta is positioning itself to capture early developer mindshare and potentially steer the direction of future consumer AI hardware.