Meet PAL
PAL is your AI assistant inside Palpable. It knows what hardware you have connected, understands what you're trying to build, and can create behaviors for you just from a conversation.
You don't need to learn any special language or syntax. Just tell PAL what you want in plain words.
What can PAL do?
Create behaviors
This is PAL's superpower. Describe what you want to happen, and PAL turns it into a working behavior:
"When someone gets within 30 cm of the distance sensor, turn on the buzzer for half a second."
PAL figures out the trigger, the action, and the right module settings -- then creates and activates the behavior for you.
Read your sensors
Ask PAL what's happening right now:
"What's the temperature?"
"How bright is it in the room?"
"What are all my sensors reading right now?"
PAL reads the latest data from your connected modules and tells you.
Explain your setup
Not sure what modules you have or what they can do? Just ask:
"What sensors do I have connected?"
"What can I do with the Modulino Knob?"
PAL knows your exact hardware configuration and can explain each module's capabilities.
Suggest project ideas
If you have hardware connected but aren't sure what to build:
"What can I build with my sensors?"
"I want to monitor my greenhouse. What do I need?"
PAL will suggest behaviors, recommend additional modules if needed, and help you think through the design.
Troubleshoot problems
If something isn't working:
"My temperature sensor isn't showing any data."
"Why isn't my behavior triggering?"
PAL can check your device status, verify module connections, and suggest fixes.
How to talk to PAL
PAL lives inside the Palpable app. Open any project and tap the chat icon to start a conversation.
You can talk to PAL by typing or by voice -- just tap the microphone icon.
Tips for good results
- Be specific about numbers. "Above 25 degrees" is clearer than "when it gets hot."
- Mention the module if you have more than one of the same type. "The buzzer" works fine if you only have one.
- Ask follow-up questions. PAL remembers the context of your conversation.
- Say "change it" or "update that" to modify something PAL just created. You don't have to start over.
Things PAL can't do
PAL is focused on your Palpable setup. It won't:
- Browse the internet or look things up
- Control devices outside the Palpable ecosystem
- Write general-purpose code (but it does write display code and create behaviors for you)
PAL is project-aware. When you chat with PAL from inside a project, it knows which devices and modules are linked to that project. This means you can just say "the temperature sensor" instead of specifying a module ID.
Multi-model architecture. Under the hood, PAL uses a swarm of specialized AI models. Simple queries (sensor readings, greetings) are handled by a fast model, while complex tasks (behavior design, display layouts, debugging) are routed to specialists. You don't need to do anything differently -- PAL picks the best model automatically. See Swarm Architecture for technical details.
Behaviors PAL creates
When PAL creates a behavior, it uses the same WHEN/IF/THEN structure you'd use in the visual builder:
- WHEN a trigger fires (sensor reading, schedule, button press, etc.)
- IF optional conditions are met (time of day, another sensor value, etc.)
- THEN actions happen (notification, buzzer, lights, display update, etc.)
You can always see and edit the behaviors PAL creates in your project's behavior list. PAL doesn't do anything you can't undo.
Example conversations
Simple temperature alert:
You: "Notify me when it gets above 30 degrees."
PAL: "Done! I created a behavior called 'Temperature Alert' that sends you a push notification when the Modulino Thermo reads above 30°C. It has a 5-minute cooldown so you won't get spammed."
Multi-step automation:
You: "When someone presses button A, play a short beep and flash the lights green for 2 seconds."
PAL: "Created! When button A is pressed, the buzzer plays a 440 Hz tone for 200ms, then the pixels turn green, wait 2 seconds, and turn off."
Exploring capabilities:
You: "What sensors do I have?"
PAL: "You have a Modulino Thermo (temperature + humidity), a Modulino Distance (measures up to 2 meters), and a Modulino Knob (rotary encoder with push button)."