Meta's Muse Gadgets Opens AI Hardware to Outside Developers
Meta has launched Muse Gadgets, an open source project for building hardware that runs its Muse agent. Engadget
The project centers on software, not chips. Meta is releasing open source firmware, the low-level software that starts a device, and a Linux SDK, a toolkit for building on Linux, so developers can add Muse to their own hardware. In practice, if a device can run Linux and the Muse software stack, a developer can build a prototype without a formal hardware deal with Meta.
To get started, Meta built a reference device called Muse Home Link. It is a small dongle powered over USB-C that links Muse to a home network to work with TVs, speakers and other smart home gear. USB-C power keeps the design simple, and the home network connection lets the cloud-based Muse stay connected locally, where it can find and control those devices.
Meta said it will give away 5,000 Muse Home Link units to Muse subscribers.
Meta also listed other types of devices developers could build, including a dedicated E Ink display, the low-power screens used in e-readers, an HDMI dongle that plugs into a TV, and a small touchscreen accessory similar to the Muse Charm. Meta did not present these as products. They are examples of designs the firmware and SDK are intended to support, from slow-refresh ambient screens to TV-connected output and small interactive devices.
Coordination will happen in a dedicated Discord community for the Muse Gadgets project. Discord, a chat service widely used by developers and hobbyists, will host build notes, driver fixes and help with setup problems.
Meta describes Muse as a secure, private personal AI agent that proactively helps with people's goals and suggests ideas. Meta Around Muse, Meta is also building software embodiment and its own hardware. Its Superintelligence Labs unit has introduced Muse Realtime Avatar, described as state-of-the-art embodiment technology. Meta The company also has a consumer AI device called Muse Charm. CNBC
The broader context here is architectural. Most assistant devices so far have been closed at both ends, with one company controlling the AI model, the system software and the product design. Muse Gadgets reverses that pattern. Meta provides the agent software, while developers use standard parts to test different inputs, outputs and locations in the home.
In my view, the choice of Home Link as the first device is revealing. Meta did not start with another smart speaker or screen. It started with a small bridge that fixes a specific gap, giving a remote agent steady access to equipment on the local home network. If other gadgets follow, the benefit will come from coverage, small single-purpose devices in rooms and on TVs where a phone app is awkward and a full smart speaker is more than needed.
Worth flagging for anyone thinking of building is long-term maintenance. Open firmware makes early prototypes faster, but it also spreads work on updates, password and login handling, and ongoing support across many small makers. For an agent built around private, proactive help, handling that upkeep well is as important as getting the first demo to run. If Meta and the Discord community set clear early habits for setup, patching and permissions, the project has room to become lasting. As I have seen with earlier waves from PCs to smartphones, my kids adopted each new device quickly, but keeping those devices secure and useful took steady work behind the scenes.
