How it works
A spare computer and a screen become a companion on your wall.
What you need
- A 64-bit Intel or AMD PC you can wipe. 4 cores and 8 GB recommended; two cores work, but the voice can stutter.
- A screen: the laptop's own, or any monitor or TV.
- A USB speakerphone (best across a room).
- Internet: Ethernet is hands-off; Wi-Fi needs a keyboard for a minute.
- Your own Claude plan or Anthropic API key. Light use fits Claude Pro.
Not yet: Raspberry Pi, Mac, Windows. The installer replaces everything on the machine.
Setup
- Boot the installer from a USB stick and walk away. It reboots into Walter's face.
- Scan the code on screen with your phone: name, town, done.
- Sign in to Claude through Anthropic's own sign-in on the box, or add an API key. Walter never sees your password or codes.
When you talk
- Its name and your speech are recognised on the device.
- The words (not your audio) go to Claude on your plan.
- A local voice answers while the face shows how it feels.
- Long jobs run in the background; it tells you at a natural pause.
Safe defaults
Camera, cloud speech and admin access start off. The AI can run commands on its own machine, which is why it gets one. A more restricted permission mode is planned before public launch. Updates are tested and roll back if they fail; signed releases are being added in the beta.