Buddie

Buddie is an open-source AI-powered earbud assistant developed by University of Michigan researchers that continuously listens to provide context-aware ChatGPT responses. Weighing just 4.3 grams with a semi-in-ear design, it offers 8-hour battery life and hands-free voice interaction without wake words. The device transcribes conversations locally on your smartphone, immediately deletes audio recordings, and stores encrypted transcripts on-device for privacy. Priced at $40 (at-cost), Buddie summarizes meetings, creates to-do lists, provides daily recaps, and answers contextual questions about your conversations and activities using energy-efficient compression technology.