Beacon/PORTABLE_README.txt at main · Issac-Moses/Beacon · GitHub

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================================================================================
                        BEACON DESKTOP ASSISTANT
                           Portable Version
================================================================================

WELCOME!

Beacon is a voice-activated desktop assistant that uses AI to help you with
tasks on your computer. Just say "Hey Beacon" to activate it!

================================================================================
FIRST-TIME SETUP
================================================================================

1. GEMINI API KEY (Required)

   When you first run Beacon.exe, you'll be asked to enter a Gemini API key.

   To get your FREE API key:
   - Visit: https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey
   - Sign in with your Google account
   - Click "Create API Key"
   - Copy the key
   - Paste it into the Beacon setup dialog

   Your key will be saved in "gemini_key.txt" for future use.

2. MICROPHONE PERMISSION

   Windows may ask for microphone permission when you first run Beacon.
   Please allow access for voice commands to work.

================================================================================
HOW TO USE
================================================================================

1. Double-click "Beacon.exe" to start
2. Look for the Beacon icon in your system tray (bottom-right corner)
3. Say "Hey Beacon" to activate the assistant
4. After the beep/voice response, speak your command (you have 3 seconds)
5. Beacon will take a screenshot and respond to your question

EXAMPLE COMMANDS:
- "What's on my screen?"
- "Read this document to me"
- "What time is it?"
- "Summarize this webpage"

TO QUIT:
- Right-click the Beacon icon in the system tray
- Select "Quit"

================================================================================
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
================================================================================

- Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
- Microphone
- Internet connection (for Gemini AI responses)
- Minimum 4GB RAM recommended
- ~500MB disk space for models

================================================================================
TROUBLESHOOTING
================================================================================

PROBLEM: "Hey Beacon" doesn't activate
SOLUTION:
- Speak clearly and at normal volume
- Make sure your microphone is working
- Try saying it slightly louder or closer to the mic

PROBLEM: No voice response
SOLUTION:
- Check your speakers/volume
- Verify Windows TTS is working (Settings > Time & Language > Speech)

PROBLEM: API key error
SOLUTION:
- Delete "gemini_key.txt" and restart Beacon.exe
- Enter a valid API key from https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey

PROBLEM: Application won't start
SOLUTION:
- Make sure all files in the Beacon folder are present
- Try running as Administrator
- Check Windows Event Viewer for error details

================================================================================
PRIVACY & DATA
================================================================================

- Voice commands are processed locally (Vosk) and via Whisper
- Screenshots and transcriptions are sent to Google Gemini API
- Your API key is stored locally in "gemini_key.txt"
- No data is collected by the Beacon application itself

================================================================================
TECHNICAL DETAILS
================================================================================

Wake Word Detection: Vosk (offline)
Speech Recognition: Whisper.cpp (local)
AI Processing: Google Gemini 1.5 Flash
Text-to-Speech: Windows SAPI

================================================================================
SUPPORT
================================================================================

For issues or questions, please check the project repository or documentation.

Enjoy using Beacon! 🚀

================================================================================