How to Use Google Assistant on Raspberry Pi: Setup Guide

To use Google Assistant on a Raspberry Pi, install the Google Assistant SDK and configure OAuth 2.0 credentials from the Google Cloud Console. Then run the sample Python code to start voice interaction with the assistant on your device.

Syntax

Using Google Assistant on Raspberry Pi involves these main steps:

• Install SDK: Use pip install google-assistant-sdk[samples] to get the SDK and sample code.
• Set up OAuth 2.0: Create credentials in Google Cloud Console and download credentials.json.
• Authorize device: Run google-oauthlib-tool to link your device with your Google account.
• Run assistant: Use python -m googlesamples.assistant.grpc.audio_helpers or sample scripts to start interaction.

bash

pip install google-assistant-sdk[samples]
google-oauthlib-tool --client-secrets credentials.json --scope https://www.googleapis.com/auth/assistant-sdk-prototype --save --headless
python -m googlesamples.assistant.grpc.audio_helpers

Example

This example shows how to run a simple Python script that listens to your voice and responds using Google Assistant on Raspberry Pi.

python

from google.assistant.library import Assistant
from google.assistant.library.event import EventType
import sys
import json

def process_event(event):
    if event.type == EventType.ON_CONVERSATION_TURN_STARTED:
        print('Listening...')
    elif event.type == EventType.ON_RECOGNIZING_SPEECH_FINISHED:
        print(f'You said: {event.args["text"]}')
    elif event.type == EventType.ON_CONVERSATION_TURN_FINISHED:
        print('Conversation ended.')


def main():
    with open('credentials.json', 'r') as f:
        credentials = json.load(f)

    with Assistant(credentials) as assistant:
        for event in assistant.start():
            process_event(event)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Output

Listening...
You said: Hello Google
Conversation ended.

Common Pitfalls

• Missing OAuth setup: Forgetting to create and download credentials.json causes authorization errors.
• Incorrect scopes: Using wrong OAuth scopes prevents the assistant from working.
• Audio issues: Raspberry Pi microphone or speaker not configured properly leads to no sound input/output.
• Running without internet: Google Assistant requires an active internet connection.

python

## Wrong way: Missing OAuth authorization
from google.assistant.library import Assistant

with Assistant(None) as assistant:
    for event in assistant.start():
        print(event)

## Right way: Provide valid credentials
from google.assistant.library import Assistant
import json

with open('credentials.json', 'r') as f:
    credentials = json.load(f)

with Assistant(credentials) as assistant:
    for event in assistant.start():
        print(event)

Quick Reference

Summary tips for using Google Assistant on Raspberry Pi:

• Always create OAuth 2.0 credentials in Google Cloud Console.
• Use google-oauthlib-tool to authorize your device.
• Test microphone and speaker before running assistant.
• Run sample scripts from google-assistant-sdk to verify setup.
• Keep Raspberry Pi connected to the internet for voice commands.

Key Takeaways

Install Google Assistant SDK and sample tools using pip on Raspberry Pi.

Set up OAuth 2.0 credentials in Google Cloud Console and authorize your device.

Ensure microphone and speaker are configured and Raspberry Pi is online.

Run sample Python code to interact with Google Assistant via voice.

Common errors include missing credentials and audio device misconfiguration.