Create a voice-powered to-do assistant with Waveshare display and DuckyClaw

Building a voice-enabled task assistant can turn your Waveshare 1.75" display into a hands-free productivity tool. With the DuckyClaw framework and a few hardware components, you can implement a fully functional to-do system that responds to voice commands, supports swipe navigation, and syncs with cloud services. This guide walks through the entire process—from cloning the firmware to testing core features—using Cursor IDE to automate setup and flashing. Whether you're prototyping a smart home gadget or just exploring IoT development, this walkthrough delivers actionable steps without assuming prior embedded expertise.

Why this project works for makers

This build leverages DuckyClaw, an open-source framework designed to simplify hardware integration for edge devices like the Waveshare 1.75" display. Instead of writing low-level drivers or managing complex toolchains, you rely on Cursor’s AI-powered prompts to handle compilation and flashing. The approach is beginner-friendly yet scalable—once the system is live, you can extend it with additional skills like scheduled reminders or IoT device control.

Key advantages include:

• Minimal setup: Cursor automatically installs dependencies and flashes firmware without terminal commands.
• Cloud-ready credentials: Tuya’s developer platform provides Product IDs and authentication keys to link your device to cloud services.
• Voice-first interaction: DuckyClaw’s built-in automatic speech recognition (ASR) handles voice input natively.
• Compact UI: The 1.75" screen supports Apple Reminders-style task lists with smooth scrolling via LVGL components.

Step-by-step setup from scratch

Clone and prepare the DuckyClaw firmware

Start by forking the official DuckyClaw repository using Cursor’s built-in Git tools. Cursor can clone the repo and install required packages in one step, avoiding manual setup and version conflicts. If you’re new to hardware flashing, this step ensures your environment is consistent across devices.

After cloning, open the Waveshare quick-start guide in Cursor’s sidebar. The IDE will prompt you to install the TuyaOpen Dev Skills workflow, which bridges your local project with Tuya’s cloud SDK. This workflow is essential for later steps like device provisioning and credential retrieval.

Register your device on Tuya’s platform

Create a new product in the Tuya Developer Console and select AI Agent as the product type. This classification ensures compatibility with DuckyClaw’s skill system. Once the product is live, navigate to the Hardware Development tab to download your Product ID (PID), UUID, and AuthKey. These credentials act as digital keys—store them securely in your project’s configuration files, not in public repositories.

Flash the firmware with Cursor

Use Cursor’s chat panel to generate a flashing prompt tailored to your device. Include the PID, UUID, and AuthKey to ensure the firmware is compiled with the correct credentials. Cursor detects the connected Waveshare board automatically and flashes the firmware in under a minute. The process works consistently across multiple Waveshare models, removing the need for manual makefiles or CLI commands.

Connect to the Smart Life app

Pair your Waveshare board via the Smart Life app by following the standard Wi-Fi provisioning flow. Ensure your phone and device share the same network during setup. After pairing, the board registers with Tuya Cloud and becomes ready for cloud interactions like task scheduling and voice commands.

Implementing the to-do feature set

Design the task interface

Use Cursor to generate code for a to-do system that mirrors Apple Reminders in layout and behavior. Specify these requirements in your prompt to avoid manual tweaks:

• Swipe left to view the to-do list and swipe right for scheduled tasks.
• Use the lv_example_scroll_6 component for smooth vertical scrolling on the 1.75" display.
• Style the UI with rounded corners and consistent spacing to match the compact screen.

Cursor produces clean, framework-compatible code that you can review before flashing. Check the display dimensions in the generated files and adjust any UI elements if the layout feels off on the small screen.

Integrate cloud scheduling and reminders

Leverage DuckyClaw’s CRON skill to schedule tasks and the heartbeat skill for reminder notifications. When you add a task with a due date, DuckyClaw automatically registers it in Tuya Cloud. At the scheduled time, the system pushes a notification to the display and triggers any connected speaker output.

To test this, set a reminder for one minute in the future. Verify that the trigger fires on time and that the UI updates correctly when the task is marked complete.

Testing and debugging on the device

After flashing the updated firmware, run through this checklist to confirm stability:

• Voice input: Speak commands like "Add milk to my to-do list" and confirm the ASR recognizes the phrase.
• Task management: Add, edit, and delete tasks using both voice and touch input. Check that swipe navigation responds smoothly.
• Scheduled tasks: Set a test reminder and wait for the trigger. Confirm the notification appears on screen.
• Display clarity: Inspect for UI glitches, misaligned text, or scrolling artifacts on the 1.75" screen.

If the system behaves erratically, review Cursor’s build logs for compilation warnings. Also check the Tuya Developer Console to ensure the device remains connected to the cloud and credentials are still valid.

Key lessons for hardware developers

This project highlights how low-code tools and modular frameworks can accelerate hardware development. DuckyClaw’s prebuilt drivers for displays and ASR eliminate weeks of custom coding, while Cursor’s AI prompts streamline the build and flash cycle. Still, a few best practices emerged during testing:

• Always validate generated code before deployment, especially UI components for small screens.
• Store credentials in environment variables or encrypted config files—never hardcode them.
• Start with core features like task lists before extending to advanced skills like IoT control.

The modular skill architecture makes it easy to add new functions, from text-to-speech feedback to integration with smart plugs. Whether you’re building a personal assistant or a prototype for a product pitch, this stack delivers a solid foundation with room for experimentation.

Next steps for customization

Once your to-do assistant is running, consider expanding its capabilities:

• Add text-to-speech feedback by integrating DuckyClaw’s TTS skill.
• Connect smart home devices to trigger actions when tasks are completed.
• Experiment with local speech models to reduce cloud dependency.

Share your enhancements in maker communities—contributions to open-source projects like DuckyClaw help refine the ecosystem for everyone.