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Why Meta Wants You Building Your Own AI Gadgets

MUSE GADGETS October 4, 2026 · Meta · Muse · Home Link · Open Source · ESP32 · Raspberry Pi

I've seen plenty of AI companies promise that their assistants will eventually become part of everything we do.

Meta just took a surprisingly concrete step toward that future.

Instead of keeping Muse inside an app, Meta has released the tools needed to put Muse on hardware you build yourself.

The new Muse Gadgets project lets developers use Meta's open-source SDKs with ESP32 boards and Raspberry Pi computers, connecting Muse to screens, buttons, microphones, sensors and actuators.

Meta is also offering its own tiny device, called Muse Home Link, that connects Muse to a home Wi-Fi network.

This is where the story gets much bigger than another AI feature update.

Meta Muse AI gadgets with Raspberry Pi and ESP32 hardware connected to smart home devices

Meta's Muse Gadgets project lets developers connect the Muse personal AI agent to custom hardware and home devices.

What changed: Meta has open-sourced the Muse gadget SDKs and firmware under the Apache 2.0 license. That means developers can build compatible Muse devices instead of waiting for Meta to manufacture every form factor.
ESP32
Device SDK
Linux
Raspberry Pi SDK
Wi-Fi 6
Home Link
35×42mm
Home Link Size

What Are Meta Muse Gadgets?

Muse Gadgets are physical devices that connect to Meta's Muse personal AI agent.

Meta's new open-source project supports an ESP32 Device SDK and a Linux Device SDK, allowing developers to connect Muse to different kinds of hardware.

That could be a small touchscreen, an e-ink display, a Raspberry Pi, buttons, sensors or other electronics.

The concept is simple: Muse provides the AI and the developer chooses the physical interface.

This is the interesting shift: the AI assistant becomes a platform for physical devices rather than a product limited to a phone or browser.

Meta's Muse Home Link Is the Easiest Entry Point

For people who do not want to solder boards or build firmware, Meta has created Muse Home Link.

It is a small USB-C gadget based on Espressif's ESP32-C5 chip, with 8MB PSRAM, 8MB flash and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity across 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.

Its dimensions are just 35 × 42 × 10 millimeters.

Once connected to your network, Home Link gives Muse a way to reach compatible devices or anything you expose through a local HTTP API.

Meta says it can be used for tasks such as turning on lights, controlling a TV or sending a document to a printer, depending on the skills installed.


Watch What Muse Is Becoming

A recent interview with Mark Zuckerberg about Muse and Meta's personal-agent strategy.


The Raspberry Pi Angle Is More Important Than It Looks

Meta's Linux Device SDK is particularly interesting for developers because it means a spare Raspberry Pi can become a Muse endpoint.

Meta specifically suggests using Raspberry Pi with Muse to interact with Home Assistant and other Linux applications.

That opens up an entirely different class of projects.

Things You Could Build

  • Morning briefing screen: use an e-ink display to show reminders, shopping lists and information from Muse.
  • Voice-controlled desk: connect buttons, microphones and a small speaker to a custom assistant.
  • Home Assistant interface: let Muse trigger supported smart-home workflows through a Raspberry Pi.
  • TV assistant: Meta lists an HDMI-stick concept that could put Muse interactions on a television.
  • Custom dashboard: build a dedicated screen that shows Muse-generated information in a form designed around your workflow.

That is very different from buying a finished AI gadget.

You are building the physical interface around the assistant you already use.


The Open-Source Part Is the Real Announcement

Meta could have simply launched Home Link.

Instead, it also released the code required for developers to make their own Muse hardware.

The Muse Gadgets repositories include an ESP32 Device SDK and a Linux Device SDK, and Meta says the project is licensed under Apache 2.0 apart from specific third-party components.

Every gadget needs an SDK token to pair with Muse, and developers enable Developer Mode inside the Muse mobile app before pairing compatible devices.

The Important Developer Detail

The open-source SDK does not mean the entire Muse service has become a locally running AI model. The gadget is a hardware endpoint for the Muse ecosystem, while the AI service remains the intelligence layer that performs the work.


Here Is the Limitation Most Headlines Will Miss

Home Link is not a general-purpose open-source computer.

Meta says its own Home Link device runs official firmware and cannot be reflashed.

The open-source part is the underlying SDK and the broader ecosystem that lets developers create compatible gadgets using their own hardware.

That distinction matters.

You can build on an ESP32 board, but you cannot simply buy Home Link and replace its entire software stack with whatever firmware you want.


Community Skills Could Become the Hidden Killer Feature

Muse Home Link becomes much more useful when paired with skills.

Meta's gadget site already lists community integrations for products such as Philips Hue, Sonos, Apple TV, Google Nest speakers and Samsung TVs.

Those skills can allow Muse to translate a natural-language request into an action on a device.

But treat community skills as software from strangers. Meta explicitly warns that community-built skills can change or break and says they should not be relied upon for safety-critical tasks such as home security, emergencies or medical systems.

This is one of those small details that matters far more in practice than a flashy demo.


Meta Is Turning Muse Into a Hardware Platform

There is a broader strategy underneath all of this.

Meta's original Muse announcement described the product as a personal AI agent capable of taking actions rather than simply answering questions.

Meta has since pushed Muse toward smart glasses, a dedicated Charm device and now community-built hardware.

The common thread is that Muse is becoming a layer that can travel between physical interfaces.

The Muse Hardware Stack

  • AI layer: Muse and Muse Spark handle reasoning and agentic tasks.
  • Official hardware: products such as Muse Charm and Home Link provide Meta-designed interfaces.
  • Wearables: Meta is bringing Muse to AI glasses for hands-free interaction.
  • DIY layer: developers can build their own Muse endpoints with ESP32 and Linux hardware.

That is much closer to a platform strategy than a single gadget strategy.


Mark Zuckerberg's Bigger Vision for Muse

“We are building toward personal superintelligence.”

— Mark Zuckerberg

That phrase is useful because it explains why Meta is pushing Muse beyond one app.

A personal agent becomes more valuable when it can move with you and interact with the physical environment around you.

A phone can display information.

Glasses can make the interaction hands-free.

A custom ESP32 device can put a tiny interface exactly where you need it.

Home Link can connect that agent to devices already living in your house.


The Overlooked Security Question

Once an AI agent can operate physical devices, permissions become extremely important.

Turning on a lamp is harmless.

Opening a garage door is not the same thing.

Neither is changing a thermostat, unlocking a door or triggering an appliance.

Build With Least Privilege

Give a Muse-connected device access only to the functions it needs. Keep safety-critical systems outside experimental AI workflows, and review community skills before giving them access to your network or devices.

The hardware may be tiny.

The permissions behind it are not.


Meta Muse Gadgets: Pros and Cons

What Looks Promising

  • Open-source SDKs and firmware
  • ESP32 and Linux support
  • Raspberry Pi compatibility
  • Custom displays, buttons and sensors
  • Home Assistant possibilities
  • Home Link requires very little hardware setup

What Needs Attention

  • Requires a Muse account and SDK token
  • Home Link itself cannot be reflashed
  • Community skills may break
  • AI processing is not simply running locally on the gadget
  • Connected devices expand the security surface
  • Not appropriate for safety-critical automation

Amazon Hardware for Building Muse Gadgets

Raspberry Pi 5

Meta specifically lists Raspberry Pi as a target for its Linux Device SDK. A Raspberry Pi can act as a Muse endpoint and can also connect Muse to Linux applications and Home Assistant projects.

Check Raspberry Pi 5 on Amazon →

Waveshare ESP32-S3 Touch AMOLED 1.75

This compact development board combines an ESP32-S3, 1.75-inch AMOLED touchscreen, microphones, speaker support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It is the kind of small interactive hardware Meta highlights for Muse gadget experimentation.

Check Waveshare ESP32 Board on Amazon →

M5Stack StickS3

Meta's Muse Gadgets project includes the M5Stack StickS3 among its example devices. Its small ESP32-based form factor makes it suitable for experimenting with compact status screens and physical controls.

Check M5Stack StickS3 on Amazon →

Where This Could Go Next

The most interesting consequence of Muse Gadgets may not be the devices Meta is showcasing today.

It may be the devices nobody has built yet.

A developer can create an interface specifically for a particular workflow rather than adapting a general-purpose assistant to whatever screen a phone happens to provide.

That could mean a desk companion, a workshop controller, a specialized accessibility interface, a room-status display or an AI system integrated into a custom project.

The hardware becomes interchangeable.

The Muse agent becomes the common intelligence layer.

That is a powerful model for an AI platform.

And unlike a lot of AI announcements, this one gives developers something tangible to experiment with right now.

What Can the Meta Muse Agent Actually Do?

Building a custom gadget is only half the story. To understand what your DIY hardware can actually accomplish, you need to understand the AI powering it. Read our complete guide to the Meta Muse AI Agent to explore its autonomous features, built-in payment safety, and exactly how the new subscription pricing tiers work.

Read the Meta Muse Guide →


Frequently Asked Questions About Meta Muse Gadgets

What are Meta Muse Gadgets?

Muse Gadgets are custom hardware devices that connect to Meta's Muse personal AI agent. Meta has released SDKs for ESP32-based devices and Linux systems such as Raspberry Pi, allowing developers to build custom screens, buttons, sensors and other interfaces.

What is Muse Home Link?

Muse Home Link is a small USB-C device based on the Espressif ESP32-C5. It connects Muse to a local Wi-Fi network so compatible devices and community-built skills can be reached through Muse.

Can I build my own Muse gadget?

Yes. Meta provides an ESP32 Device SDK and Linux Device SDK, and its official project documentation includes examples using Raspberry Pi, M5Stack hardware, Waveshare displays and other development boards.

Is Muse Home Link open source?

The underlying Muse Gadget SDKs and relevant firmware are open source under the Apache 2.0 license, but Meta says the official Home Link hardware runs official firmware and cannot itself be reflashed.

Can Muse control smart-home devices?

Yes, depending on the device and installed skill. Meta says Home Link can reach compatible devices or local HTTP APIs, while its gadget site lists community integrations for products including Philips Hue, Sonos, Apple TV, Google Nest speakers and Samsung TVs.

Disclosure: Some of the product links in this article are Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on the product's relevance and usefulness to our readers.

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