I Built a Minimalist AI Note Device

Introduction to Pala Note

The Pala Note is a portable, low-power device designed to quickly capture fleeting thoughts and ideas. It serves as an alternative to smartphones, which often cause distractions when unlocked for note-taking.

Hardware and Design

The device is built using accessible, easy-to-assemble components, including:

• An ESP32-S3 microcontroller, which acts as the brain of the device and provides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
• A 1.54-inch e-ink display that only consumes power when updating, making it highly energy-efficient and less distracting than a bright phone screen.
• A microphone, a speaker, a battery (500 mAh LiPo), an SD card for storage, and power management components.

The speaker designed a custom 3D-printed, snap-fit case that requires no screws, holds the board securely with internal pins, and features rounded edges for a comfortable grip.

Functionality and Interface

To maximize battery life, the Pala Note remains in a deep sleep mode. Holding a button wakes the device and opens the home screen, which displays the battery level. The core interaction is designed to be quick and simple:

• Holding the upper button starts an audio recording.
• Releasing the button automatically saves the recording to the SD card and opens a tag menu to categorize the note.
• The device then immediately returns to deep sleep.
• Users can play back recorded notes directly using the built-in speaker. Optional button sounds provide tactile feedback to make the interface feel more responsive.

AI Integration and Transcription

To solve the challenge of searching through numerous audio files, the device integrates with OpenAI's Whisper API for transcription. Users configure their Wi-Fi credentials and OpenAI API key in the firmware. To conserve battery, the device does not maintain a constant Wi-Fi connection; instead, it syncs automatically once a day or when manually triggered from the menu. During synchronization, the audio files are uploaded, transcribed, and saved back to the SD card as readable text files.

This AI integration opens up future possibilities, such as automatic summaries, title generation, and daily overviews.