Mycroft AI
  • Documentation
  • About Mycroft AI
    • Why use Mycroft AI?
    • Glossary of terms
    • Contributing
    • FAQ
  • Using Mycroft AI
    • Get Mycroft
      • Mark II
        • Mark II Dev Kit
      • Mark 1
      • Picroft
      • Linux
      • Mac OS and Windows with VirtualBox
      • Docker
      • Android
    • Pairing Your Device
    • Basic Commands
    • Installing New Skills
    • Customizations
      • Configuration Manager
      • mycroft.conf
      • Languages
        • Français (French)
        • Deutsch (German)
      • Using a Custom Wake Word
      • Speech-To-Text
      • Text-To-Speech
    • Troubleshooting
      • General Troubleshooting
      • Audio Troubleshooting
      • Wake Word Troubleshooting
      • Log Files
      • Support Skill
      • Getting more support
  • Skill Development
    • Voice User Interface Design Guidelines
      • What can a Skill do?
      • Design Process
      • Voice Assistant Personas
      • Interactions
        • Intents
        • Statements and Prompts
        • Confirmations
      • Conversations
      • Error Handling
      • Example Interaction Script
      • Prototyping
      • Design to Development
    • Development Setup
      • Python Resources
      • Your First Skill
    • Skill Structure
      • Lifecycle Methods
      • Logging
      • Skill Settings
      • Dependencies
        • Manifest.yml
        • Requirements files
      • Filesystem access
      • Skill API
    • Integration Tests
      • Test Steps
      • Scenario Outlines
      • Test Runner
      • Reviewing the Report
      • Adding Custom Steps
      • Old Test System
    • User interaction
      • Intents
        • Padatious Intents
        • Adapt Intents
      • Statements
      • Prompts
      • Parsing Utterances
      • Confirmations
      • Conversational Context
      • Converse
    • Displaying information
      • GUI Framework
      • Show Simple Content
      • Mycroft-GUI on a PC
      • Mark 1 Display
    • Advanced Skill Types
      • Fallback Skill
      • Common Play Framework
      • Common Query Framework
      • Common IoT Framework
    • Mycroft Skills Manager
      • Troubleshooting
    • Marketplace Submission
      • Skills Acceptance Process
        • Information Review Template
        • Code Review Template
        • Functional Review Template
        • Combined Template
      • Skill README.md
    • FAQ
  • Mycroft Technologies
    • Technology Overview
    • Roadmap
    • Mycroft Core
      • MessageBus
      • Message Types
      • Services
        • Enclosure
        • Voice Service
        • Audio Service
        • Skills Service
      • Plugins
        • Audioservice Plugins
        • STT Plugins
        • TTS Plugins
        • Wake Word Plugins
      • Testing
      • Legacy Repo
    • Adapt
      • Adapt Examples
      • Adapt Tutorial
    • Lingua Franca
    • Mimic TTS
      • Mimic 3
      • Mimic 2
      • Mimic 1
      • Mimic Recording Studio
    • Mycroft GUI
      • Remote STT and TTS
    • Mycroft Skills Kit
    • Mycroft Skills Manager
    • Padatious
    • Precise
    • Platforms
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  • Precise
  • Check for AVX support on your device
  • Check microphone input level
  • Test Wake Word detection using another voice
  • PocketSphinx
  • Further Information and Support

Was this helpful?

  1. Using Mycroft AI
  2. Troubleshooting

Wake Word Troubleshooting

Having trouble triggering the wake word?

PreviousAudio TroubleshootingNextLog Files

Last updated 5 years ago

Was this helpful?

The microphone is working but Mycroft does not trigger when I say the Wake Word

To verify that it is the Wake Word and not the microphone causing the issue, we will get Mycroft to ask us a question that we can respond to.

In the Mycroft CLI type in an utterance like "set timer". Mycroft will then ask how long of a timer you would like, play the activation sound and turn on the microphone. Speaking now should result in your utterance being transcribed.

If your response is successfully transcribed, it is most likely the Wake Word engine causing the problem.

Precise

Check for AVX support on your device

Our Precise wake word engine also relies upon TensorFlow. For x86 Intel processors this requires the AVX (Advanced Vector Extensions) instruction set. To ensure your system supports AVX open a terminal and run:

grep avx /proc/cpuinfo

AVX should be listed under the flags for each CPU core. If nothing is returned it is most likely that your system does not support AVX.

The ARM architecture has a similar requirement called SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data). This has been available since ARMv7 which includes the Cortex A53 used by the RaspberryPi and the Cortex A7 from the OrangePi.

Resolution

If your device does not have AVX or SIMD support then our Precise wake word engine will not work. Technical users may be able to build an older version of TensorFlow (1.13) from source using the instructions provided on their website that does not have this requirement.

You may still use Mycroft with the PocketSphinx wake word engine. See to see how to configure this.

Check microphone input level

The Wake Word engine can have trouble detecting the specified term if the mic level is set too high.

Resolution

Reduce the mic level roughly 25-50% and attempt to speak again.

If you are on a laptop this can be done in your systems sound settings or volume control panel. Alternatively you can use alsamixer on the commandline.

Test Wake Word detection using another voice

Whilst we continue to improve our wake word models, it can still have trouble detecting the specified term from some voices.

Resolution

PocketSphinx

PocketSphinx is an attractive option for a custom wake word as a new term. Whilst it is a simple text configuration, the result is less reliable than a well-trained Precise Wake Word.

Further Information and Support

We have a range of Alsamixer tips in the

If you think this might be the case, you can play a video from our that uses the phrase "Hey Mycroft". Playing this through speakers near the connected microphone should trigger Mycroft.

You may still be able to use Mycroft with the PocketSphinx wake word engine. See to see how to configure this.

If you are using the PocketSphinx wake word engine, please see to examine the configuration options available.

You're welcome to post questions and queries to the or join our to connect with others in the Community.

Using a custom wake word
Audio Troubleshooting Guide
Youtube channel
Using a custom wake word
Using a custom wake word
Mycroft Forum
Wake Word channel on Mycroft Chat