Timeless rotary phone reborn as modern AI-powered companion that plays music - Yanko Design

"Who can forget the charm of rotary phones that were a lifeline in the early '90s and '80s? Their iconic mechanical dialling wheel with finger holes, solid build quality, and the unique clicking sound. Everything inside the machine was mechanical and wired on the inside to make communication possible. Even after their technical innovation was surpassed by mobile phones, the appeal of these robust dialers was not forgotten."

"At the heart of the redesign is the original rotary dial, preserved as the primary input mechanism. Rather than simply dialing phone numbers, each pulse created by turning the dial is translated into a digital signal. This allows the dial's mechanical action to control contemporary digital functions. The transformed device blends vintage form with modern intelligence. On the inside, a small single-board computer, which was initially a Raspberry Pi 4, was later swapped for a Raspberry Pi 2 for lighter loads, handles the digital processing."

"The original speaker and microphone are replaced with improved audio components connected via a USB sound card, ensuring clearer playback and compatibility with the new system. Beyond its physical transformation, the device gains new functionality: it operates as both a music player and an AI-powered voice interface. By integrating a voice-based model (e.g., ChatGPT), speech-to-text transcription (via Whisper), and text-to-speech output (via Google TTS), the retro telephone can respond to voice commands, play music, and offer interactive voice chat."

An original rotary telephone was restored to preserve its mechanical dial as the primary input while outdated high-voltage components and corroded wiring were removed to accommodate low-voltage digital hardware. Each pulse from the rotary dial is translated into a digital signal to control contemporary functions. A single-board computer (initially a Raspberry Pi 4, later swapped to a Raspberry Pi 2) handles processing. Original audio transducers were replaced with improved speaker and microphone units wired through a USB sound card. The device functions as a music player and an AI-powered voice interface by combining a voice model (e.g., ChatGPT), Whisper for transcription, and Google TTS for speech output.

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