Meet Pico.
Your AI companion that sees, hears, and feels.
An emotionally responsive desktop robot that communicates like a pet — through chirps, expressions, and movement.
What Is PICO?
More than a smart speaker. A companion that truly responds.
“Unlike smart speakers that just answer questions, Pico behaves like a living pet. It's a non-verbal AI companion that communicates through expressive sounds, animated eyes, and head movements.”
It Sees You
Face detection and recognition. Knows your face, remembers you.
It Hears You
Wake-word detection and speech-to-text. Understands your commands.
It Feels Touch
Capacitive touch sensor. Pet it and it purrs.
Default state
Subtle breathing sounds
A Personality That Breathes
PICO's Emotion Engine is a state machine that processes inputs and transitions between emotions — just like a living creature.
Emotion States
How It Works
- →Sensory inputs (camera, mic, touch) trigger emotion transitions
- →Each state has its own eye expression, sounds, and head movement
- →Transitions are smooth — half-blink between expressions
- →Idle behaviors like random blinking and pupil drift add life
What Pico Can Do
A complete AI system packed into a tiny companion.
Wake Word Detection
"Hey Pico" trigger via ESP-SR, with offline fallback.
Speech-to-Text
Google Cloud Speech-to-Text with 60-min free tier.
Natural Language Processing
Google Gemini for conversational AI and contextual responses.
Sound Bank Communication
20+ expressive WAV files — no TTS, pure personality-driven audio.
Sense. Think. Express.
Pico's three-stage intelligence pipeline brings it to life.
Sense the World
Pico uses an integrated camera and microphone to perceive its surroundings. It detects faces, recognizes people, hears your voice, and senses touch — always aware and attentive.
- Real-time face detection & recognition
- Wake-word and voice command listening
- Touch-sensitive interaction via capacitive sensor
- Motion and presence awareness
Think & Feel
At Pico's core is an advanced Emotion Engine — a state machine that processes sensory inputs and determines the appropriate emotional response, creating lifelike behavior.
- 8 distinct emotional states with smooth transitions
- Contextual AI processing via Google Gemini
- Time-aware greetings and adaptive behavior
- Natural idle behaviors — blinking, drifting, yawning
Express & Respond
Pico communicates not through words, but through the universal language of expression — animated eyes, expressive chirps, and lifelike head movement that feel genuinely alive.
- Animated OLED eye expressions at 30+ FPS
- 20+ unique sound effects for every emotion
- Pan-tilt servo head tracking and movement
- Personality-driven responses — never robotic
Built on ESP32-S3
Everything you need, at an accessible price point.
Total estimated cost • Indian market pricing • Verified suppliers
ESP32-S3-EYE
- Dual-core 240MHz processor
- 8MB PSRAM + 16MB Flash
- Built-in 2MP camera + microphone
₹4,200 – ₹5,500
0.96″ OLED (SSD1306)
- 128×64 I2C display
- Self-emissive — no backlight
- Perfect for expressive eye animation
₹150 – ₹300
2× SG90 Micro Servo
- 180° rotation range
- 1.8 kg·cm torque
- Pan-tilt head tracking assembly
₹200 – ₹400
MAX98357A Amplifier
- I2S digital audio interface
- 3W output power
- No DAC required — direct ESP32 connection
₹180 – ₹350
3W Speaker (40mm)
- 4Ω impedance
- Full-range driver
- Clear sound for chirps and beeps
₹50 – ₹150
Touch Sensor (TTP223)
- Capacitive touch detection
- Single-pin digital output
- Pet-petting interaction trigger
₹30 – ₹60
Powered By Innovation
Cutting-edge AI and embedded systems working together to bring Pico to life.
Intelligence
AI & Machine Learning
- Computer Vision— Real-time face detection & recognition
- Speech Recognition— Wake-word detection & voice commands
- Google Gemini AI— Natural conversational understanding
- Emotion Engine— Adaptive emotional state machine
Communication
Sound & Expression
- Sound Bank— 20+ unique expressive audio clips
- OLED Display— Animated eye expressions at 30+ FPS
- Head Movement— Pan-tilt servo tracking & gestures
Hardware Platform
ESP32-S3 Powered
- Dual-Core CPU— 240MHz ESP32-S3 processor
- On-Device AI— Edge computing with 8MB PSRAM
- Real-Time OS— FreeRTOS multitasking for responsive behavior
- Digital Audio— I2S audio output for crisp sound
- WiFi Connected— Cloud AI services via WiFi bridge
Interested in Pico?
Pico is currently in active development at Vaelix. Get in touch to learn more about the project, partnership opportunities, or to stay updated on our progress.