Sticky notes can cover a desk without making anyone more organized. A French student built a small talking robot to try a different approach: just tell it what you need to remember.

The device is called Pamk. In a demonstration shared October 8, its maker showed a 3D-printed desk companion that listens for “Hey Pamk,” adds tasks and events, and gives reminders. It also has a Pomodoro study timer, a countdown mode and a progress ring on its animated face.

What is inside Pamk?

An ESP32-S3 microcontroller powers the device, alongside a 280-by-240-pixel screen, an INMP441 microphone and a MAX98357 audio amplifier. The maker says the spoken commands use Google’s Gemini service for language understanding, while the robot’s voice is assembled from recordings the student made. So the system is not entirely offline, even though it does not require a separate phone app for ordinary interaction.

The custom wake word took serious work. In a Reddit reply, the maker said they had sorted roughly 5,000 clips of their own speech and background noise to train it. False activations still happen, and the student is collecting more recordings to improve the result.

A new face in seconds

Pamk’s case is 3D-printed, and its decorative faceplates attach with magnets. The student has experimented with several looks, including Egyptian-inspired, Japanese-inspired, wooden and gear-themed designs. A second version with a custom circuit board is planned.

Despite being called a robot, the current version has no moving motors; it is better described as a voice-controlled desktop assistant with a character-like face. The creator says motion may come in a later version.

Can you build one?

Not quite yet. The maker has shared a MakerWorld profile with other printable designs but says the full Pamk files are not released. The plan is to make the project available once the creator qualifies for crowdfunding support on the platform. There is no confirmed kit price or shipping date.

Pamk illustrates how 3D printing, affordable microcontrollers and cloud AI can turn a personal productivity idea into a physical device. Readers interested in sharing and improving projects can also explore our open-source guide and GitHub explainer.

SmartNews takeaway: Pamk is still a student prototype, but it shows how a few inexpensive electronic parts can turn reminders and study timers into a friendly desk companion.

Sources: The creator’s October 8 project post and replies and the maker’s 3D-printing discussion.