AlexaPi: Building your own Amazon Echo with Raspberry Pi

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2 Step 2: MATRIX Creator MEMS Microphones

3 Step 3: Setting up the Software (This is from GitHub Quickstart)

This tutorial will help you build your own Amazon's Alexa using a Raspberry Pi and MATRIX Creator, the first Microphone Array add-on for Raspberry Pi.

We will use Alexa Voice Services (AVS), it is the service used by Amazon Echo that allows us to accomplish many of the challenging tasks in this project.

Step 1: Parts that you'll need

MATRIX Creator.

Raspberry Pi 2 or 3

5V 2.0A Power Supply

Speaker (Needs Aux input)

Step 2: MATRIX Creator MEMS Microphones

MATRIX Creator has 8 MP34DB02 MEMS audio sensor omni-directional microphones.

Low power consumption

120 dBSPL acoustic overload point

62.6 dB signal-to-noise ratio

Omnidirectional sensitivity

–26 dBFS sensitivity

Step 3: Setting up the Software (This is from GitHub Quickstart)

Welcome to the MATRIX Creator! To enjoy your new board you’ll need to set it up. First, you need to have Raspbian installed on your Raspberry Pi. If you don’t have it, you can download it and follow the instructions.

Then you need to install the software that will allow you to program the MATRIX Creator. To do it, you need to configure APT. The following steps should do it:

echo "deb http:packages.matrix.one/matrix-creator/ ./" | sudo tee --append /etc/apt/sources.list

Now update the package list.

sudo apt-get update

Then you can install the required packages.

sudo apt-get install matrix-creator-init cmake g++ git

Now reboot the Raspberry Pi. After rebooting, the FPGA and SAM3 MCU will be programmed automatically. That is, after every reboot the FPGA will have the default firmware.

If you wish, you can also learn more about other features of MATRIX Creator on GithubQuestions? Post them on raspberrypi.stackexchange.com! Use the tag #matrix-creator.

About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer with a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan University. I have written for various industries, mainly home automation, and engineering. I have a clear and simple writing style and am skilled in using infographics and diagrams. I am a great researcher and is able to present information in a well-organized and logical manner.

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