Your AI, with a face.
The prototype already blinks, turns, tilts, and nods. Those little movements give software a physical presence on your desk.
A physical companion for your AI
grexBot, a physical AI companion. You fill in what it becomes.
Give your AI a place on your desk. grexBot brings the face and movement; we're building the companion software to connect conversation, notes, and useful tools. A desk buddy is the beginning. What it becomes is where you come in.
Follow the build See what it could be ↓Prototype in development. No orders or reservations.
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Big eyesReal head-turnsAn open frameMake it yours
01 / Meet grexBot
A million jobs.
One personality.
A thinking partner. A keeper of routines. A little character beside your keyboard. We're building grexBot to grow into different roles while still feeling like the same companion: yours.
Personality meets purpose.
The face runs on the robot. We're developing the companion software around it, so conversation and useful tools can become part of the same character. Perhaps one suspicious of your third coffee.
Room to make it yours.
Different looks. New abilities. Perhaps 40% more pirate. We're designing grexBot so makers can shape its body and behavior, and everyone can find a role that feels their own.
02 / Fill in the blank
So what's yours
going to be?
One small robot. Plenty of possibilities. Start with the working desk buddy, explore what's in development, or suggest a role of your own.
- Works today
…a desk buddy.
Animated eyes and a head that turns, tilts, and nods. A small presence on the desk while the bigger abilities take shape.
- In development
…a thinking partner.
Talk through an idea and keep the bits worth returning to. Conversation and notes are part of the companion work; reliable voice capture on the robot is still being tested.
- On the roadmap
…a focus timer.
The idea: help you start a session, keep a routine, and celebrate finishing. Mild disappointment when you quit early is negotiable.
- On the roadmap
…a tiny DJ.
The plan: music with a little movement to match. The prototype's speaker isn't wired yet. It's waiting, not very patiently.
- Someone should build this
…a desk pirate.
Imagine choosing how it speaks and behaves. Same robot, considerably more "arr."
- Someone should build this
…a build-status mascot.
Imagine a future tool connection: green build, happy dance. Red build, time to check the logs. A little character in your development routine.
- Someone should build this
…a plant nag.
A future reminder with a face. Could a pointed look get the fern watered? Worth finding out.
- Your turn
…a ______.
Got a better one? Try your own role ↓
Make the blank yours.
Try a role or write your own. Your draft stays in this tab until you submit the signup form below. Submitted ideas stay private.
03 / Pick your path
How hands-on do
you want to get?
We're planning different ways to make grexBot yours, from a hands-on build to an assembled companion. Tell us which you'd prefer.
Print it.
Your printer, your filament. We plan to release build files so you can make the body yourself. Downloads aren't available yet.
Build it.
A planned kit with matched parts and clear assembly instructions. Build the companion, then make it your own.
Unbox it.
A planned assembled version. We do the fiddly bits. You do the naming.
Commission it.
A future custom build with choices of appearance. Your own little weirdo. Options and availability are still undecided.
All four paths are in development. Orders and build-file downloads aren't open yet.
04 / On the workbench
You're early.
That's the good part.
The face and two-axis movement are working on the prototype. We're sharing the build, mistakes included, as we develop the software and hardware into a useful personal companion.
- The brain
- ESP32-S3
- The face
- 1.64-inch AMOLED display
- The movement
- Two-axis pan and tilt
- The body
- 3D-printed open frame
Work in progress: reliable voice capture, companion features, and a new wake word currently being trained. The speaker isn't wired yet. The software can play replies through a phone or computer.
05 / A few things to know
Go on,
ask.
Can I get one?
Not yet. grexBot is a working prototype, and the wider companion experience is still in development. Follow the build if you'd like project and launch news. Joining doesn't reserve a robot or a testing spot.
Which AI can I use?
The private companion prototype supports the OpenAI API. Public setup and broader provider support are in development. Explore the companion software for its current capabilities, costs, and data handling.
Will it need a subscription?
Basic expressions and movement are planned to work without a subscription. We also plan a paid hosted companion for AI features and connected tools, plus a free self-hosted option with a smaller set of tools. Pricing and the exact feature split are still being worked out.
Is it listening to me?
The prototype has separate local microphone metering and cloud capture modes. Local mode shows sound levels without uploading audio. Cloud note capture requires pairing and enabling capture. Voice capture is still being tested, and a new wake word is being trained. Wake detection does not identify who is speaking.
Is it really open?
The plan is to publish build files, firmware, and hardware designs so makers can understand and change their bots. Downloads aren't available yet. Release details and licenses are still to be settled; the hosted service and self-hosted companion will have their own terms.
Does it talk?
The companion software can play replies through your phone or computer, including a Bluetooth speaker paired to that device. The prototype's own speaker isn't wired yet. Direct robot audio is still in development.
Who's making this?
grexBot is being developed at Hollow Labs AI, bringing hardware, software, and character together in a physical companion for your AI. Follow the build journal for the design decisions, working prototypes, and what comes next.
Follow the build
grexBot is a ______.
Tell us.
Follow the build as grexBot takes shape. Sign up for project and launch emails, and tell us what yours could become.
No purchase, reservation, or guaranteed testing spot.
Checking email signup availability. You can also follow the build journal for updates.