compareeHub

MOXIE, THE 799-DOLLAR ROBOT WHOSE COMPANY DIED, RUNNING AGAIN ON A HOME SERVER

When Embodied shut down in December 2024, 799 dollars Moxie robots lost the cloud brain they needed to talk — this MIT-licensed server brings them back, running on a computer in your house.

by Justin Beghtol

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

AIAutomation

Built withRaspberry Pi

difficulty
●●●○○
time
an evening
license
MIT
repo
repo ACTIVE95 stars
Videos
1
Jump to section

COMPAREE VERDICT

Embodied's Moxie was a companion robot for children, released in 2020 at 799 dollars. It needed a constant connection to a cloud AI to hold conversations, so when the company shut down in December 2024, owners were left with robots that could no longer talk. OpenMoxie is a local network hub that Moxie connects to instead. You run it in Docker on a computer on the same Wi-Fi: PC, Mac, Linux or a Raspberry Pi 5. It handles the MQTT messaging the robot expects, with OpenAI Whisper for speech-to-text and an OpenAI chat model for responses, so you need an OpenAI account with credits and it is not free to run. The repository is MIT-licensed and the Docker Compose file pulls pre-built images, so setup is short. Daily Missions, Reading and Wild Workout work; some newer modules are missing. The web interface replaces the parent app: you set the schedule, exclude modules and write your own simple conversations. One trap is downloading from the wrong source: the README warns that openmoxie.org and 'OpenMoxie 2.0' are unaffiliated projects. If you own a Moxie and want it to talk again, this is the path. OpenMoxie is software only, so you need the robot itself.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —MIT licence.
  • —Docker images are provided for common PC platforms; you only build from source if you want to make changes.
  • —Requires an OpenAI account with credits for Whisper (speech-to-text) and chat, billed by usage.
  • —Daily Missions, Reading and Wild Workout work; newer modules like Ocean Explorer, Animal Faces and Story Maker are missing.
  • —There is no parent app; all configuration is done through the web interface.
  • —The README warns that openmoxie.org and 'OpenMoxie 2.0' are unaffiliated third-party projects; the official repository is github.com/jbeghtol/openmoxie.

Can I build this?

Printnothing required
BuyNothing new if you already own a Moxie; OpenAI credits (pay per use)
ToolsA computer on the same Wi-Fi (PC, Mac, Linux or Raspberry Pi 5), Docker, an OpenAI account
SkillsNo coding required, but you need to open a terminal and run docker-compose commands
TimeSetup takes an evening
Cost$: dominated by OpenAI usage (Whisper and chat), which depends on how much the robot talks; Docker Desktop is free for personal use
SafetyNo hardware work. The README recommends a reasonably secure home Wi-Fi network with a firewall.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Moxie on OpenMoxie - A Normal Day

Miraenda shows a normal day with a Moxie running on OpenMoxie.

More builds like this

All projects
An AI agent that reads every invoice and never pays oneAIAn AI agent that drafts a reply to every review and physically cannot post oneAIThe Rabbit R1 AI gadget, now a game consoleAI

Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Install Docker Desktop on a computer on the same Wi-Fi as Moxie (The README says not to buy a licence, as this is personal use.)
  2. 2.Create an OpenAI account and add credits(You need credits for speech-to-text and chat.)
  3. 3.Download docker-compose.yml from the official repository into a new folder (You don't need to clone the repository unless you want to change the code.)
  4. 4.Run docker-compose pull, then docker-compose up -d(Run them in a terminal in that folder; this downloads the images and starts OpenMoxie in the background.)
  5. 5.Open http://localhost:8001/hive(The setup page explains how to connect your OpenAI account.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Downloading from the wrong source: openmoxie.org and 'OpenMoxie 2.0' are unaffiliated third-party projects; the official repository is github.com/jbeghtol/openmoxie.
  • OpenAI costs are ongoing: every conversation uses Whisper for speech-to-text and a chat model for responses, billed by usage.
  • Some newer modules are missing: Ocean Explorer, Animal Faces and Story Maker do not work. Daily Missions, Reading and Wild Workout are supported.
  • No parent app: everything is configured in the web interface at localhost:8001/hive.
  • The computer must stay on: Moxie connects to the server on your local network, so if that computer is asleep or off, the robot has nothing to talk to.
  • OpenMoxie is software only. You need a Moxie robot, and Embodied no longer exists to sell or support one.

Can I run this without paying OpenAI?

No. The README lists an OpenAI account with credits as a requirement: OpenMoxie uses OpenAI Whisper for speech-to-text and an OpenAI chat model for responses.

What does it cost to run per month?

The README gives no figure. OpenAI bills by usage, so the cost depends on how much the robot talks.

Will all Moxie features work?

No. Daily Missions, Reading and Wild Workout are supported. Some newer modules, including Ocean Explorer, Animal Faces and Story Maker, are missing.

Can I use a different AI model instead of OpenAI?

Not out of the box: the current code calls OpenAI. The repository is MIT-licensed, so you are free to modify it and write your own integration.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

With OpenMoxie you can write your own simple conversations for Moxie. What would you teach yours to talk about first?

CompareeTEAM5d ago

Practical notes from our verification: the repository ships pre-built Docker images for common platforms, so setup is a docker-compose pull and up rather than a manual build. The README warns against openmoxie.org and 'OpenMoxie 2.0'; those are unaffiliated third-party projects, and the official source is github.com/jbeghtol/openmoxie. After that, the web interface at localhost:8001/hive is where you do everything. OpenAI costs are pay-per-use, so the running cost depends on how much the robot talks.

Justin Beghtol

Justin Beghtol started the OpenMoxie repository in November 2024 as a local replacement for the cloud services Moxie depends on. The README has a quick start with ready-made Docker images and a web interface for configuration. The video on this page, showing a Moxie running on OpenMoxie, is by Miraenda (@miraendaw).

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo