What the Thought Catcher Is

The Thought Catcher is a DIY gadget built around a Raspberry Pi that helps users capture fleeting ideas while in bed. By placing the device near the pillow, a user can press a button, speak a thought, press the button again when finished, and have the spoken words turned into text.

How It Works

When the button is pressed a second time, the audio is processed by the open‑source Whisper.cpp service, an AI model that converts speech to text. The transcription is then sent to a Notion database, where it appears as an entry labeled as an idea, task, or note. A brief beep lets the user know the upload succeeded.

Why It Matters

The device eliminates the need to reach for a phone in the dark, reducing exposure to a lit screen that can interfere with sleep. It also removes the temptation to browse social media when a thought strikes, keeping the focus on capturing ideas.

What You Need to Build One

To create a Thought Catcher, you will need a Raspberry Pi, a physical push button, a microphone, a buzzer, and Python code to tie everything together. The maker has not released detailed instructions yet but has indicated they will share them if there is sufficient interest.

Future Outlook

The creator is still refining the prototype, and future versions may be smaller or even waterproof for use in the shower, where ideas also tend to arise. The project highlights how inexpensive hardware and AI services can be combined to solve everyday problems.

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