Setup the EchoKit server

You will need an EchoKit device, or create your own ESP32 device with the EchoKit firmware.

Build

git clone https://github.com/second-state/echokit_server

Edit config.toml to customize the VAD, ASR, LLM, TTS services, as well as prompts and MCP servers. You can see many examples.

cargo build --release

Configure AI services

The config.toml can use any combination of open-source or proprietary AI services, as long as they offer OpenAI-compatible API endpoints. Here are instructions to start open source AI servers for the EchoKit server.

• VAD: https://github.com/second-state/silero_vad_server
• ASR: https://llamaedge.com/docs/ai-models/speech-to-text/quick-start-whisper
• LLM: https://llamaedge.com/docs/ai-models/llm/quick-start-llm
• Streaming TTS: https://github.com/second-state/gsv_tts

Alternatively, you could use Google Gemini Live services for VAD + ASR + LLM, and even optionally, TTS. See config.toml examples.

You can also configure MCP servers to give the EchoKit server tool use capabilities.

Configure the device "skin"

The following two files in the server's current directory will be sent to the EchoKit device when it connects to the server.

• background.gif is the background image displayed on the device's screen.
• hello.wav is the greeting the device will say to prompt the user to speak.

Run the EchoKit server

export RUST_LOG=debug
nohup target/release/echokit_server &

Test on a web page

Go here: https://echokit.dev/chat/

Click on the link to save the index.html file to your local hard disk.

Double click the local index.html file and open it in your browser.

In the web page, set the URL to your own EchoKit server address, and start chatting!

Configure a new device

Go to web page: https://echokit.dev/setup/ and use Bluetooth to connect to the GAIA ESP332 device.

Configure WiFi and server

• WiFi SSID (e.g., MyHome)
• WiFi password (e.g., MyPassword)
• Server URL (e.g., ws://34.44.85.57:9090/ws/) -- that IP address and port are for the server running echokit_server

Use the device

Chat: press the K0 button once or multiple times util the screen shows "Listening ...". You can now speak and it will answer.

Record: long press the K0 until the screen shows "Recording ...". You can now speak and the audio will be recorded on the server.

Config: press RST and, at the same time, press and hold K0 to enter the configuration mode. Then open the configuration UI to connect to the device via BT.