atlas/docs/HARDWARE.md

Hardware Requirements and Purchase Plan

Overview

This document outlines hardware requirements for the Atlas voice agent system, based on completed technology evaluations and model selections.

Hardware Status

Already Available

• ✅ RTX 4080 (16GB VRAM) - Work agent LLM + ASR
• ✅ RTX 1050 (4GB VRAM) - Family agent LLM
• ✅ Servers - Hosting for 4080 and 1050

Required Hardware

Must-Have / Critical for MVP

1. Microphones (Priority: High)

Requirements:

• High-quality USB microphones or array mic
• For living room/office wake-word detection and voice capture
• Good noise cancellation for home environment
• Multiple locations may be needed

Options:

Option A: USB Microphones (Recommended)

• Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB
• Cost: $50-150 each
• Quantity: 1-2 (living room + office)
• Pros: Good quality, easy setup, USB plug-and-play
• Cons: Requires USB connection to always-on node

Option B: Array Microphone

• ReSpeaker 4-Mic Array or similar
• Cost: $30-50
• Quantity: 1-2
• Pros: Better directionality, designed for voice assistants
• Cons: May need additional setup/configuration

Option C: Headset (For Desk Usage)

• Logitech H390 or similar USB headset
• Cost: $30-50
• Quantity: 1
• Pros: Lower noise, good for focused work
• Cons: Not hands-free

Recommendation: Start with 1-2 USB microphones (Option A) for MVP

Purchase Priority: ⭐⭐⭐ Critical - Needed for wake-word and ASR testing

2. Always-On Node (Priority: High)

Requirements:

• Small, low-power device for wake-word detection
• Can also run ASR if using CPU deployment
• 24/7 operation capability
• Network connectivity

Options:

Option A: Raspberry Pi 4+ (Recommended)

• Specs: 4GB+ RAM, microSD card (64GB+)
• Cost: $75-100 (with case, power supply, SD card)
• Pros: Low power, well-supported, good for wake-word
• Cons: Limited CPU for ASR (would need GPU or separate ASR)

Option B: Intel NUC (Small Form Factor)

• Specs: i3 or better, 8GB+ RAM, SSD
• Cost: $200-400
• Pros: More powerful, can run ASR on CPU, better for always-on
• Cons: Higher cost, more power consumption

Option C: Old SFF PC (If Available)

• Specs: Any modern CPU, 8GB+ RAM
• Cost: $0 (if repurposing)
• Pros: Free, likely sufficient
• Cons: May be larger, noisier, higher power

Recommendation:

• If using ASR on 4080: Raspberry Pi 4+ is sufficient (wake-word only)
• If using ASR on CPU: Intel NUC or SFF PC recommended

Purchase Priority: ⭐⭐⭐ Critical - Needed for wake-word node

3. Storage (Priority: Medium)

Requirements:

• Additional storage for logs, transcripts, note archives
• SSD for logs (fast access)
• HDD for archives (cheaper, larger capacity)

Options:

Option A: External SSD

• Size: 500GB-1TB
• Cost: $50-100
• Use: Logs, active transcripts
• Pros: Fast, portable

Option B: External HDD

• Size: 2TB-4TB
• Cost: $60-120
• Use: Archives, backups
• Pros: Large capacity, cost-effective

Recommendation:

• If space available on existing drives: Can defer
• If needed: 500GB SSD for logs + 2TB HDD for archives

Purchase Priority: ⭐⭐ Medium - Can use existing storage initially

4. Network Gear (Priority: Low)

Requirements:

• Extra Ethernet runs or PoE switch (if needed)
• For connecting mic nodes and servers

Options:

Option A: PoE Switch

• Ports: 8-16 ports
• Cost: $50-150
• Use: Power and connect mic nodes
• Pros: Clean setup, single cable

Option B: Ethernet Cables

• Length: As needed
• Cost: $10-30
• Use: Direct connections
• Pros: Simple, cheap

Recommendation: Only if needed for clean setup. Can use WiFi for Pi initially.

Purchase Priority: ⭐ Low - Only if needed for deployment

Nice-to-Have (Post-MVP)

5. Dedicated Low-Power Box for 1050 (Priority: Low)

Requirements:

• If current 1050 host is noisy or power-hungry
• Small, quiet system for family agent

Options:

• Mini-ITX build with 1050
• Small form factor case
• Cost: $200-400 (if building new)

Recommendation: Only if current setup is problematic

Purchase Priority: ⭐ Low - Optional optimization

6. UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) (Priority: Medium)

Requirements:

• Protect 4080/1050 servers from abrupt shutdowns
• Prevent data loss during power outages
• Runtime: 10-30 minutes

Options:

• APC Back-UPS 600VA or similar
• Cost: $80-150
• Capacity: 600-1000VA

Recommendation: Good investment for data protection

Purchase Priority: ⭐⭐ Medium - Recommended but not critical for MVP

7. Dashboard Display (Priority: Low)

Requirements:

• Small tablet or wall-mounted screen
• For LAN dashboard display

Options:

• Raspberry Pi Touchscreen (7" or 10")
• Cost: $60-100
• Use: Web dashboard display

Recommendation: Nice for visibility, but web dashboard works on any device

Purchase Priority: ⭐ Low - Optional, can use phone/tablet

Purchase Plan

Phase 1: MVP Essentials (Immediate)

Total Cost: $125-250

1. USB Microphone(s): $50-150

   • 1-2 microphones for wake-word and voice capture
   • Priority: Critical

2. Always-On Node: $75-200

   • Raspberry Pi 4+ (if ASR on 4080) or NUC (if ASR on CPU)
   • Priority: Critical

Subtotal: $125-350

Phase 2: Storage & Protection (After MVP Working)

Total Cost: $140-270

3. Storage: $50-100 (SSD) + $60-120 (HDD)

   • Only if existing storage insufficient
   • Priority: Medium

4. UPS: $80-150

   • Protect servers from power loss
   • Priority: Medium

Subtotal: $190-370

Phase 3: Optional Enhancements (Future)

Total Cost: $60-400

5. Network Gear: $10-150 (if needed)
6. Dashboard Display: $60-100 (optional)
7. Dedicated 1050 Box: $200-400 (only if needed)

Subtotal: $270-650

Total Cost Estimate

• MVP Minimum: $125-250
• MVP + Storage/UPS: $315-620
• Full Setup: $585-1270

Recommendations by Deployment Option

If ASR on RTX 4080 (Recommended)

• Always-On Node: Raspberry Pi 4+ ($75-100) - Wake-word only
• Microphones: 1-2 USB mics ($50-150)
• Total MVP: $125-250

If ASR on CPU (Alternative)

• Always-On Node: Intel NUC ($200-400) - Wake-word + ASR
• Microphones: 1-2 USB mics ($50-150)
• Total MVP: $250-550

Purchase Timeline

Week 1 (MVP Start)

• ✅ Order USB microphone(s)
• ✅ Order always-on node (Pi 4+ or NUC)
• Goal: Get wake-word and basic voice capture working

Week 2-4 (After MVP Working)

• Order storage if needed
• Order UPS for server protection
• Goal: Stable, protected setup

Month 2+ (Enhancements)

• Network gear if needed
• Dashboard display (optional)
• Goal: Polish and optimization

Hardware Specifications Summary

Always-On Node (Wake-Word + Optional ASR)

Minimum (Raspberry Pi 4):

• CPU: ARM Cortex-A72 (quad-core)
• RAM: 4GB+
• Storage: 64GB microSD
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi
• Power: 5V USB-C, ~5W

Recommended (Intel NUC - if ASR on CPU):

• CPU: Intel i3 or better
• RAM: 8GB+
• Storage: 256GB+ SSD
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi
• Power: 12V, ~15-25W

Microphones

USB Microphone:

• Interface: USB 2.0+
• Sample Rate: 48kHz
• Bit Depth: 16-bit+
• Directionality: Cardioid or omnidirectional

Array Microphone:

• Channels: 4+ microphones
• Interface: USB or I2S
• Beamforming: Preferred
• Noise Cancellation: Preferred

Next Steps

1. ✅ Hardware requirements documented
2. ✅ Purchase plan created
3. Action: Order MVP essentials (microphones + always-on node)
4. Action: Set up always-on node for wake-word testing
5. Action: Test microphone setup with wake-word detection

References

• Wake-Word Evaluation: docs/WAKE_WORD_EVALUATION.md (when created)
• ASR Evaluation: docs/ASR_EVALUATION.md
• Architecture: ARCHITECTURE.md

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Last Updated: 2024-01-XX Status: Requirements Complete - Ready for Purchase