Engram, limited edition offline groovebox starting at $675

Thoughtful Things is launching a limited series of its first instrument, Engram, via Kickstarter. This AI sampler operates entirely offline, relies on internally designed models, and claims to be trained on commercially licensed audio data. The firmware is set to be released to accommodate modifications and custom models.

Limited Series on Kickstarter, with an Entry Price of $675

Thoughtful Things is offering Engram in a limited series as part of its Kickstarter campaign. The entry price is set at $675. The final retail price has not yet been announced, but the company indicates it should be between $850 and $900. The $675 amount represents a 30% discount from the estimated final price.

A Tool for Exploring Sound Hallucination and Open to Hacking

The firmware of Engram is intended to be open, allowing users to modify it or load their own models. In the presentation video, founder Evan King uses his voice to request a "piano," and Engram generates a glitchy sound, vaguely reminiscent of a piano. Evan King describes the device as a "field recorder for the latent space." Engram aims to explore AI-generated hallucinations and experimental sound design, drawing inspiration from circuit bending to enable the modification and distortion of its small AI models.

Local AI, In-House Model, and Commitment to Training Data

Engram operates without an Internet connection and relies on a local "small AI." Thoughtful Things specifies that the AI model has been designed and trained in-house. The company claims to have used only open datasets containing licensed audio for commercial use, such as CC-BY licenses or equivalent, and is committed to not training its models on non-commercial, pirated, or stolen data. Engram combines the functions of a sampler and a groovebox, leveraging AI to transform incoming audio or generate new sounds. The Kickstarter campaign marks the launch of this first instrument by the startup.