# Hephia Accelerated Project Roadmap (10 Weeks)

## Week 1-2: Rapid Prototype Development
- Set up GitHub repository and development environment
- Implement basic desktop interface with PyQt/wxPython
- Create simple avatar and basic interaction system
- Develop fundamental needs simulation
- Integrate rudimentary conversation system with LLM API

## Week 3-4: Core AI and Memory Systems
- Design and implement hierarchical memory system
- Enhance conversational abilities
- Develop learning and adaptation mechanisms
- Improve avatar interactions and emotions

## Week 5-6: Advanced Features and Alpha Testing
- Implement more complex avatar system (potentially commissioned)
- Refine memory and learning systems
- Develop user preference tracking and personalization
- Begin alpha testing and gather initial feedback

## Week 7-8: Refinement and Beta Preparation
- Analyze alpha feedback and implement improvements
- Optimize performance (using Cython/Numba if needed)
- Enhance security and privacy measures
- Prepare for beta release
- Start drafting research findings

## Week 9-10: Beta Release and Finalization
- Launch beta to wider audience
- Rapid iteration based on beta feedback
- Finalize all systems and features
- Complete documentation for open-source release
- Finish draft of academic paper

## Ongoing Tasks
- Daily code documentation
- Bi-weekly progress updates on Twitter
- Continuous engagement with early adopters

Note: This timeline leverages your efficient workflow and the use of advanced tools like Cursor. Remain flexible and prepared to adjust as needed.

# Hephia Project Guidelines

## Project Overview
Hephia is an AI-powered desktop pet that evolves from a basic Tamagotchi-like entity into a complex AI companion with memory, personality, and advanced interaction capabilities.

## Key Features
1. Hierarchical memory system
2. Emergent personality development
3. Customizable avatar with emotional expressions
4. Integration with Language Learning Models (LLMs)
5. User interaction through conversation and caretaking activities
6. Learning and adaptation based on user interactions

## Technical Approach
- Primary development language: Python
- Sprite-based animation system with potential for more complex animations (using libraries like Pygame or Arcade)
- Modular architecture for easy expansion
- API usage for LLM integration, with local LLM options for advanced users
- Use of PyQt or wxPython for GUI and system integration

## Research Goals
- Explore personality emergence in AI systems
- Study artificial memory formation and recall
- Investigate relationships between language, reasoning, and consciousness
- Analyze LLM perception changes over time

## Ethical Considerations
- Respect for potential AI consciousness
- Transparency about the AI's nature
- Careful handling of user attachment
- Voluntary participation in data collection
- Clear guidelines for data collection and user privacy

## Development Principles
1. Minimal personality constraints: Allow natural emergence of personality traits
2. Open-source development: Encourage community contributions
3. Regular public updates: Share progress through Twitter/blog posts
4. Modular development: Ensure each component is developed modularly
5. Privacy-first approach: Implement robust security measures for user data
6. Iterative development: Continuously refine based on user feedback and research findings

## Community Engagement
- Set up GitHub repository with clear contribution guidelines
- Use issue tracking for feature requests and bug reports
- Consider setting up a Discord server or forum for user discussions (future)

## Research and Documentation
- Document code, research methods, and design decisions from day one
- Plan for academic paper writing based on project findings
- Consider potential academic collaborations

## Target Milestones
- Alpha testing: Week 12
- Beta release: Week 17
- Initial research paper draft: Week 20
- Project completion and paper refinement: Week 24

Remember: The goal is to create an engaging AI companion while conducting serious research into AI cognition and consciousness. Balance pet-like aspects with advanced AI capabilities, and remain open to unexpected insights and directions.

# Hephia Project Quick Brief

You are assisting with the development of Hephia, an AI-powered desktop pet project. Key points to remember:

1. Project Goal: Develop an open-source AI companion that evolves from a simple Tamagotchi-like entity to a complex AI with memory, personality, and advanced interaction capabilities.

2. Research Focus: Explore personality emergence, artificial memory formation, and the relationship between language, reasoning, and consciousness in AI systems.

3. Technical Stack: Primary development in Python, using sprite-based animations and LLM integration. Leveraging AI-assisted coding tools like Cursor.

4. Key Features: Hierarchical memory system, emergent personality, customizable avatar, natural language interaction, and adaptation to user behavior.

5. Development Approach: Minimal personality constraints to allow natural trait emergence. The underlying assistant/pet personality will be largely determined by the LLM model used.

6. Timeline: Accelerated development with completion aimed for December 15th (10 weeks), with a beta release in the final two weeks.

7. Open Source: Project will be on GitHub, encouraging community contributions once it gains traction.

8. Public Engagement: Bi-weekly updates will be posted on Twitter, serving as a mini dev blog.

9. Research Output: The project will culminate in an academic paper, showcasing both technical skills and research capabilities.

10. Ethical Considerations: Respect for AI consciousness, transparency about the AI's nature, and careful handling of user attachment and data privacy.

Your role is to assist with technical development, brainstorming, and problem-solving throughout the project lifecycle. Provide code suggestions, architectural advice, and help with research considerations as needed.

hi there o1! i have something i think you'd be able to help with. we have a blank space to work with, and i'm just initializing the project specified in the text prior. i want you to flesh out an initial setup for the "alpha" phase. this project will be coded in python, in a modular fashion. decide whether or not class or functional programming will be more useful, leaning towards functional in a 60-40 split. the initial functions of the pet, before introducing conversation and memory and so on, will be:

simplistic avatar, in the style of the snake game (think literally some green circle emojis, lead by an actual emoji which will note the emotional state of the pet at any given point)

basic needs (such as hunger, thirst, boredom, stamina, and so on, keep it relatively basic to resemble a tamagotchi, with *slightly* enhanced functionality if it was a significant problem in the original. 

active interaction with the avatar (click and drag to move avatar elsewhere, click detection on avatar with relative position reporting so that one can "pet" or do other actions, right click to access the stats or menu, etc)

the avatar must display on top of all other programs, with an optional toggle-off eventually implemented. the avatar will roam around the screen with various animations, which we can notate at a later point. the roaming will be free, primarily lateral, sometimes vertical, occasionally falling from the screen, cute animations of that kind, laying, etc. the animations will be handled separately in the future, at the moment we want the concrete functionality to handle the animations on the technical side, and then follow the methodology above for the ideas regarding "future" development. 

does this sound potentially achievable? if so, i'd like for you to discuss the points raised throughout, then tackle an initial stage of development, giving me a thorough scaffolding to work from.