Last year, Google launched its AIY Projects, which consisted of hardware kits for do-it-yourself artificial intelligence projects. This week, Google announced AIY is being re-released in updated form to include everything required to complete a project.

While the AIY Voice Kit released last year was great, it required the maker to provide their own Raspberry Pi 3, cables, and SD card. The updated kit removes that requirement as well as adding a new AIY Vision Kit. Both the Voice and Vision kits now include a Raspberry Pi Zero WH , a USB connector cable, and an SD card with the required software already loaded. The Vision Kit also includes the Raspberry Pi Camera v2.

The Voice Kit adds voice control to your Raspberry Pi using Google Assistant, whereas the Vision Kit opens up image recognition and introduces neural networks to the maker. It can detect common objects, but also allows for reactions to your face and the emotion being shown.

As the Google Developers blog explains, Google is very keen to support STEM education and wants the AIY Kits to be used by educators to help prepare students for jobs that "haven't yet been imagined."

As well as improving the hardware included in the box, Google created a new set of instructions for each kit which are meant to be much clearer and easier to understand. A Google AIY Project companion app is also being made available on Google Play to help simplify wireless setup and configuration. It allows your mobile device to form the link between the kits and a Wi-Fi network.

The AIY Voice Kit costs $49.99, while the AIY Vision Kit is more expensive at $89.99, but is does include an extra piece of hardware in the form of the Raspberry Pi camera. Both are available through the Google AIY website.

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