Actual working Pokédex uses ChatGPT to identify Pokémon… and you can build one too

Let’s face it. You didn’t click on this article by accident. You’re as much of a Pokémon nerd as I am and there’s complete reason to feel excited given what I’m about to show you. A YouTuber by the name of Abe’s Projects decided to throw together a few components to make a rudimentary (but functioning) Pokédex and I CANNOT KEEP CALM!

This Pokédex works surprisingly like the original. Relying on the powers of ChatGPT to identify imagery captured through a rather basic camera setup, Abe’s Pokédex does a fairly good job of replicating the experience of the original from the hit TV series and comic book. Abe even encased his electronics in a wonderfully nostalgic red 3D-printed enclosure, making it resemble the original Pokédex to an uncanny degree… and if that wasn’t enough, he even programmed the Pokédex to speak just like the original, with a computer-ish robotic voice.

Designer: Abe’s Projects

The process, although fairly complicated, gets detailed out by Abe in the YouTube video. One of his admittedly harder builds, Abe mentions the first conundrum – planning the exterior and interior. The problem – you can’t 3D model an outer shape without knowing where your inner components are going to sit, and you can’t know where your inner components are going to sit without planning out your outer shell. Nevertheless, Abe designed a rudimentary framework featuring an outer shell, a few removable components (like the bezel for the screen and buttons), and a flap that ‘opens’ your Pokédex.

The internals feature a XIAO ESP32S3 Sense microcontroller that has its own integrated camera, connected to a black and white OLED screen (based on the Pokédex toy from the 90s), an amplifier that hooks to a speaker, a set of breaker buttons, a battery, and a USB-C port for loading all the information to run the mini-computer, as well as to charge the battery.

The way the Pokédex works is rather clever – it uses GPT4 along with the PokéAPI, relying on the latter’s massive information database. The GPT4 gives the device its AI chops, and an AI voice generator (PlayHT) helps create the signature vocal effect of the Pokédex. Together, they work in tandem to first, identify the Pokémon, second, reference the information in the database, third, display the Pokémon on the screen, and finally, play relevant audio about the Pokémon’s name, type, background, and performance. This does, however, mean that the Pokédex needs to stay connected to WiFi at all times to constantly tap into GPT4 and the PokéAPI (since nothing happens locally on-device).

The entire process wasn’t without its fair share of problems, however. The problems started with the software itself, which hung, crashed, and sometimes got overburdened with just the amount of heavy lifting it had to do. Meanwhile, the PlayHT audio generator posed its own share of issues, like an annoying ticking noise that played in the background as the AI spoke. Abe mentions all the problems he had in a dedicated section of the video, also outlining how he fixed them (hint: a lot of coding).

Once all the bugs were fixed, Abe took his Pokédex out for a spin. In all fairness, it did a pretty good job of identifying Pokémon strictly by analyzing their shape. This meant the Pokédex worked absolutely flawlessly when pointed at images, or an accurate 3D figurine or toy. It didn’t however, fare too well with plushes, which can sometimes have exaggerated proportions. That being said, it’s still impressive that the Pokédex works ‘as advertised’.

Building your own isn’t simple, Abe mentions… although he does have a paywall on his YouTube page where paid members can get access to behind-the-scenes content where Abe talks more extensively about his entire process. If you’re a coding and engineering whiz (with a penchant for Pokémon and 3D printing), hop on over to the Abe’s Projects YouTube page and maybe you’ll figure out how to build your own Pokédex too! Maybe you’ll simplify the process so simpletons like us can build them as well…

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Apple Vision Pro’s Spatial Computing needs a Killer App… and it should be a Pokemon Game

It seems unbelievable that Pokemon GO debuted a stunning 8 years ago… but if you remember the year 2016, you’ll also remember what a massive phenomenon it was. The game singlehandedly revived the relatively flatlined mobile gaming industry, uniting millions of players around the world and actually getting them to step out of their houses. Most importantly, however, it proved to be the PERFECT embodiment of the potential mixed reality killer app. The Apple Vision Pro, which begins deliveries starting 2nd of February, currently lacks that killer app… and a strategic partnership between Apple and Nintendo (just like their partnership with Disney) could really give the Vision Pro the killer app it needs – Mixed Reality Pokemon (or ‘Spatial Computing’ if you’re one of Apple’s vocabulary purists).

This game demo, designed by Thailand-based Kumpanat Samkumlue, explores the many benefits and features of Apple’s spatial computing push. The company boasted quite a few features like realistic rendering, voice commands, and gesture inputs – all that would complement the game perfectly. Imagine seeing Pokemon battling on your coffee table, with the ability to hold and throw Pokeballs during fights, or even give vocal commands to your Pokemon mid-battle. The UI (and even the UX) lend themself PERFECTLY to the Vision Pro, which would vastly benefit from this smash success game. Heck, it would put the Vision Pro leaps and bounds ahead of Meta’s own Quest headsets, which lack their own Pokemon game too (but have other killer-app-worthy experiences like Beat Saber, Supernatural, and more recently, Assassin’s Creed).

Designer: Kumpanat Samkumlue

“Imagine turning your home into a Pokémon playground, where you can use cutting-edge technology like Apple Vision Pro or Oculus Quest 3 to embark on thrilling Pokémon adventures right on your tabletop. With this fan-made version, I bring to life the idea of playing a Pokémon game in Mixed Reality (MR), Inspiration from the popular Pokémon Sword and Shield games,” says designer Kumpanat. “Transforming Your Home into a Pokémon Playground: A Vision for Tabletop Pokémon Adventures in Mixed Reality. Catch ’em, battle ’em, and explore ’em—all in your own space with voice commands or a controller magic!”

What Pokemon GO did for mixed reality gaming on the phone, it can absolutely do for the Vision Pro too. Sure, your first instinct is to dismiss the idea that a Pokemon game could make a $3500 headset more desirable, but here’s what we aren’t thinking of. The point isn’t to sell more units of the Vision Pro headsets… the point is to give spatial computing its Killer App, which in turn helps the entire headset category. Apple’s rumored to be working on a cheaper, more consumer-friendly model of the Vision Pro too… and this game would pretty much etch its commercial success in stone.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds Poke Ball cases add a fun, eco-friendly twist to wireless earbuds

Once frowned upon as a sign of being disconnected from your surroundings, TWS or truly wireless stereo earbuds have now become the norm for smartphone users. They do bring quite a few benefits, like freedom from the tangle of cables, though they also become prone to getting lost easily. They also open up a lot of opportunities as far as design goes, particularly when it comes to brand collaborations. After all, it’s only too easy to slap colors and logos onto these earbuds’ charging cases. A bit more interesting, however, are designs that embrace less conventional shapes or materials, like these cases for Samsung’s line of Galaxy Buds that come in the form of iconic monster-catching balls from the popular Pokemon franchise.

Designer: Samsung

To be clear, these Poke Balls don’t replace the charging cases that Samsung earbuds use. In Pokemon parlance, the original earbuds case would be the Pokemon that would live inside the ball when not in active use. Instead, the charging cases go inside these balls, which solves both the problems of compatibility. In fact, these Poke Balls are compatible with the entire range of Galaxy earbuds, including the Galaxy Buds Live, Buds Pro, Buds 2, Buds 2 Pro, and the recent Buds FE.

As for the Poke Ball designs, what’s being made available in Europe, particularly in Spain, are the purple Masterball, the blue Greatball, and the Yellow Ultraball. A bit ironically, the classic red and white Poke Ball is not available, which would have been a design that would have immediately identified the spheres as Poke Balls rather than just some random toy. That was actually the first design that was launched, so it might make its way to other countries at some other point in time.

This, after all, isn’t the first time that Samsung and The Pokemon Company collaborated on Pokemon-themed accessories and devices. What makes this particular set of Poke Balls, however, is that it’s a part of a range of eco-friendly accessories that use recycled materials rather than virgin plastic. Whether these make their way to other markets, only time will tell.

As endearing as these designs might be to Pokemon fans, there are a few practical drawbacks that interested buyers must be aware of. First is that the earbuds will no longer be easily pocketable when in the Poke Balls because unlike in the animated show, these don’t shrink to tinier sizes. The second is that the balls themselves don’t have built-in batteries or ways to charge the cases inside, which means you’ll have to take out the charging case if you need to top it off.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Buds2 Pro earbuds get a cute Pokémon-themed revision

The highly anticipated Galaxy Buds 3 are all set to be announced at the Galaxy Unpacked event, slated for the latter half of next month. Galaxy Buds2 and Buds2 Pro have already proven to be the best value for money-proposition for active audiophiles who appreciate the highest quality audio and stellar features. The current generation of earbuds go head to head with the likes of Sony WF-1000MX4, Apple AirPods or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.

To elevate the appeal of Galaxy Buds2 and Buds2 Pro, Samsung has announced a pack of new Pokémon-themed earbuds that’ll come with striking charging cases. The South Korean electronics giant knows how well Pokémon merchandise sells, and they’ve created a few in the past with huge success.

Designer: Samsung

Last year they launched the limited edition Pokeball cases for the Buds2 Pro, and the special editions sold within a few hours of launch. The same was true for the Pokémon edition Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone. So, these themed earbuds should also be on the hotlist of geeky fans. It’s not the earbuds that actually have any traces of the Pokémon relevance, rather, the charging cases that look like Jigglypuff, Ditto and Snorlax – the popular characters from the franchise. Jigglypuff and Snorlax versions are themed only on the head as they are too big to emulate in a full-body version. Ditto is the sole full-body variant since it fits the case design perfectly. Either way, these Galaxy Buds2 and Buds2 Pro cases are quite beautiful.

According to the press release, Samsung claims that this year’s specially created design is more attractive than last year’s offering. Called the Pokémon Pack, these are cases for Samsung’s flagship earbuds, accompanied by matching themed stickers. The buyers can choose from amongst these three options for the Galaxy Buds2 Pokémon Pack at a price tag of KRW 129,000 (approximately $99) and Galaxy Buds2 Pro Pokémon Pack for KRW 199,000 (around $153). For good reason, they cost a tad higher than the standard version and we’re not complaining.

The officially licensed merchandise for now is only going to be sold in South Korea and availability in other regions is not yet confirmed. That said Samsung has cashed in on the Pokémon-themed mantra in the past and these themed versions should be no different.

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Nendo stacked up Pokémon co-owner’s new office with hundreds of steel cards inspired by the iconic trading cards

I think most kids in the 90s, specifically the guys, were absolutely obsessed with Pokémon. Collecting, exchanging, and even buying and selling Pokémon cards was a major trend, something that continues to be popular even today. In fact, some of the Pokémon cards from the 90s are the most expensive ones today, and collectors are always looking out for them! So, when Nendo was tasked with designing a huge new office space for Pokémon co-creator Creatures Inc., the design firm obviously took inspiration from the company’s iconic trading cards.

Designer: Nendo

Nendo drew heavy inspiration from the ever-famous Pokémon cards and delicately interspersed them throughout the office space, resulting in a playful and intriguing workspace that is marked by thousands of steel trading cards. Located in the Tokyo headquarters of Creatures Inc., Nendo focused on creating an impressive entrance and meeting space for the office. The aim was to ensure that both elements were flexible, futuristic, and absolutely eye-catching.

“Since its release in October 1996, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has long been loved by fans worldwide. What makes the cards so special is that every piece is filled with creative ideas with a touch of emotional value. Thus, the interior design of the office naturally came to reference such vocabulary from the manufacturing process of the cards,” said Nendo.

Nendo steered clear of conventional office designs. It abandoned the concept of a traditional office with rectangular tables in rectangular rooms. Instead, the firm designed the space in different shapes and sizes. Curved walls were integrated into the space. “Furthermore, creating every table with an original organic form allows users to adjust the layout according to the meeting format or the number of participants,” explained Nendo.

Nendo agrees that the design process was rather complicated and complex. They created an abstract graphic pattern of a Pokémon Trading Card with accurate dimensions and then engraved it into a 2.3-mm (0.09-in)-thick sheet of steel utilizing a laser cutting machine. If you look closely at the office, you’ll notice hundreds or even thousands of cards being used to create it. Each card was carefully placed at one of twelve different angles, to regulate and control the light and views that enter the various meeting rooms and office spaces.

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Pikachu Wireless Mouse with Ear Buttons: Pikachu, I Click You!

Because Pokémon fans really like to immerse themselves in the franchise in every way possible (nothing wrong with that), Brando is selling an officially licensed wireless Pikachu mouse with a scroll wheel and ears that double as the mouse’s buttons. How about that! Obviously, whenever I’m using the scroll wheel, I’m going to pretend I’m petting sweet little Pikachu to sleep.

The $51 mouse is powered by a single AA battery and operates via an 800dpi optical sensor, with a wireless range of around 26 feet. You know, in case you like to stand REALLY far away from your computer screen to challenge your vision. Me? I can’t even read the top of my optometrist’s eye chart. I think it’s a smiley emoji?

Now all you need is a keyboard with Pokémon-themed keycaps to complete your Pokémon computer, or Poképuter as you should call it. You should probably also add a pair of googly eyes and a tail to your computer case while you’re at it.

[via TechEBlog]

Stunning Pokémon Keycaps Are Like Tiny Worlds Inside Your Keys

Crafted by artist and Etsy seller Hirosart, these custom Pokémon keycaps feature miniature worlds inside your keys. Not satisfied with just the pocket monsters alone, Hirosart creates tiny landscapes that reflect the areas in which the Pokémon live. How about that! Thank goodness I don’t own any, or I’d get so lost staring at my keys I’d never get anything written. It’s already hard enough, and my keyboard is missing keys.

Individual Pokémon keycaps start at around $50 apiece and go up from there depending on key size, with a spacebar running around $174. They’re certainly not the cheapest keys, but they’re definitely some of the most stunning. And can you really put a price on pounding your Charizard return key to send a particularly fiery email to someone? I would argue not.

I just bought a set not realizing they wouldn’t be compatible with my laptop keyboard because I don’t think about these things, I just get excited, grab my wife’s credit card, and spend. Now I need to buy a separate keyboard in order to use them and, wouldn’t you know, I accidentally bought a musical keyboard instead! She’s going to kill me.

[via Kotaku]

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