Getting Started
Get Talkative Lobster running on your machine in a few minutes.
Prerequisites
OpenClaw Gateway
Talkative Lobster uses OpenClaw as its LLM gateway. You need to install and run it before using the app.
- Install OpenClaw by following the instructions in the OpenClaw repository
- Configure at least one LLM provider (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama) in
~/.openclaw/openclaw.json - Start the gateway — it runs on
ws://127.0.0.1:18789by default - Note your gateway token from
~/.openclaw/openclaw.jsonundergateway.auth.token
Auto-loading keys
If OpenClaw is installed, the app can auto-load your GATEWAY_TOKEN and API keys from ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json — just click the OpenClaw button in the Settings modal.
Install
Download the installer for your platform from the Download page, or grab it directly from the GitHub Releases page.
| Platform | File |
|---|---|
| macOS (Apple Silicon) | talkative-lobster-arm64.dmg |
| macOS (Intel) | talkative-lobster-x64.dmg |
| Windows | talkative-lobster-x64-setup.exe |
| Linux | talkative-lobster-x86_64.AppImage or talkative-lobster-amd64.deb |
macOS — unsigned app warning
The app is not signed with an Apple Developer ID. On first launch, macOS will show a warning. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.
Supported Providers
Speech-to-Text (STT)
| Provider | Type | API Key |
|---|---|---|
| ElevenLabs Scribe | Cloud | Required |
| OpenAI Whisper | Cloud | Required |
| whisper.cpp | Local | Not needed |
Text-to-Speech (TTS)
| Provider | Type | API Key |
|---|---|---|
| ElevenLabs | Cloud | Required |
| VOICEVOX | Local (Japanese) | Not needed |
| Kokoro | Local (JP / EN) | Not needed |
| Piper | Local (multilingual) | Not needed |
See the Providers page for detailed setup instructions and available voices.
First Launch
On first launch, the Settings modal opens automatically and walks you through:
- OpenClaw Gateway — enter your
GATEWAY_TOKEN(default URL:ws://127.0.0.1:18789) - STT Provider — choose a speech-to-text provider and enter API keys if needed
- TTS Provider — choose a text-to-speech provider and configure voice settings
Each section has a Test button to verify the connection. All three checks must pass before you can start.
Usage
Conversation Flow
Once setup is complete, the main screen shows a waveform visualizer and a status indicator.
- Click the mic button (or the green ON button) to enable your microphone
- The app runs a brief noise calibration (~1.5 seconds) — status shows "Calibrating..."
- Once ready, status changes to "Listening..." — start speaking naturally
- When you stop talking, your speech is transcribed (status: "Recognizing...")
- The LLM processes your message (status: "Thinking...")
- The AI speaks back through your speakers (status: "Speaking...")
- After the response finishes, the app returns to "Listening..." and waits for you to speak again
Interrupting the AI
You can interrupt the AI at any time while it is speaking — just start talking. The app will immediately stop the current TTS playback and begin processing your new input.
Stopping
Click the STOP button to cancel the current operation. This works during any active state (recognizing, thinking, or speaking) and returns to the idle state.
Settings
Click the gear icon in the bottom-right corner to reopen the Settings modal at any time. Changes take effect immediately — no restart required.
Development
To run from source for development, see Contributing.