Hardware · build

A Claude-powered pocket gadget on Adafruit MEMENTO

An open-source handheld that talks back with Claude, takes retro-style photos, and trades messages with friends over ESP-NOW.

Can I build this?Intermediate · AI 4/5 · $60–100

Difficulty: Intermediate
AI-buildability: 4/5
Time: A weekend
Cost: $60–100

Tools

soldering iron3D printer

Starter prompt

Based on "A Claude-powered pocket gadget on Adafruit MEMENTO" on Afterware: https://afterware.xyz/p/a-claude-powered-pocket-gadget-on-adafruit-memento

Write ESP32-S3 firmware for an Adafruit MEMENTO handheld that records a voice question with the onboard mic, sends it to the Claude API, and shows the reply on the built-in display. Add an ESP-NOW broadcast so the device can send short messages to other units. Keep the code modular so the camera, sensor and game screens can be added later.

Estimates based on the original write-up. How AI-buildability is scored. Building with an AI assistant? Connect it to Afterware (free MCP server).

Story

Clawd Handy packs voice chat with Claude into a handheld built on Adafruit's MEMENTO board. The build also includes a retro-style camera, live space and weather data, and games.

The pitch is a pocket device that does a few things at once: talk to an AI, take a picture, check the sky, and swap messages with other units over ESP-NOW, the low-power peer-to-peer radio protocol on ESP32 chips. Source details on the exact hardware and code are thin, so check the project page before copying the wiring.

Worth stealing: the mix of a cloud AI assistant with local sensors and radio chat on one small board. That combination is the part to study if you want a pocket companion of your own.