feat(hud): local Avatar chat and optional Tavus foundation (spec 144)

[automateyournetwork]

Problem and resulting behavior

NetClaw Chat now offers John and Lobster as local animated avatars while retaining the same conversation, model, history and approval path. Authenticated macOS speech defaults to a fixed status notice; full reading is explicit or opt-in. Camera/playback controls, cancellation and graphics recovery accompany the new fourth Chat interface.

This also repairs HUD compatibility with OpenClaw model/history RPCs and includes the optional, disabled experimental Tavus foundation. Hosted Tavus acceptance, cloned voice, custom imports and broader hosted operational access are explicitly deferred. Original portrait files and the unrelated MSP document are excluded.

Numbered Spec Kit specification

• Spec 144: spec, research, plan, tasks, verification.
• Manually followed checked-in Spec Kit workflow. Owner authorized local-first implementation and this closeout/PR/merge; the final spec distinguishes delivery from deferred hosted work.

Release

Minor source version 1.6.0, with VERSION, changelog and release notes. No tag or GitHub release publication requested.

Validation

• HUD: 358 passed; one unchanged macOS fixture fails binding 127.0.0.2 with EADDRNOTAVAIL. Linux HUD CI passes; no test disabled or admin bypass.
• Four Python Pal boundary/setup tests and production build pass. Follow-up installer fixtures pass all 14 standalone tests and 64 reconciliation assertions; the Zabbix offline suite passes (live credentials unavailable).
• Spec artifacts, six declaration reconciliation surfaces, 36-server FastMCP audit, MCP Tasks audit and release metadata/helper tests pass.
• Owner previously confirmed initial avatar/audio. Real local Chat/model/history/speech evidence is recorded; final polish browser speaker/viewport acceptance remains unverified because browser automation was blocked.
• No hosted Tavus conversation, training, media upload or paid upgrade performed. Device inventory remains blocked by an existing testbed schema error.

Final CI: all 33 checks passed for 7135308. Full local unit contract suite also passes.

The initial CI run exposed three stale fixture assumptions in the recently merged spec 049 installer changes. The follow-up commit makes fake interpreters answer the version prerequisite and recognizes the validated component venv helper; pip failure, credential preservation and runtime isolation assertions remain.

Compatibility, migration and risks

Refresh HUD npm dependencies and rebuild. Local speech currently requires macOS; other hosts retain rendering/text and report speech unavailable. No hosted fallback. Select Chat to stop using Avatar. Runtime configuration is not silently changed by installing this source update; retain backups and provider ledgers when rolling back. Optional MCP facade is HUD-invoked, not registered on the main agent, to avoid recursion.

Contributor checklist

• Numbered spec and final scope documented.
• Artifact/declaration checks and relevant local verification recorded.
• Integration/installer/HUD/documentation surfaces coherent.
• Completed local-scope version metadata included.
• Secrets/private network evidence excluded; compatibility and coverage gaps documented.
• All 33 applicable PR CI checks passed for 7135308.

[github-actions]

🔍 Tessl Skill Review

workspace/skills/tavus-pal/SKILL.md

⚠️ Error: By using Tessl, you agree to our Terms: https://tessl\.io/policies/terms

⚠ tessl skill review is deprecated; forwarding to tessl review run.
✘ Please authenticate with Tessl to continue. Run `tessl login` to sign up or log in.

---

To improve your score, point your agent at the Tessl optimization guide. Need help? Jump on our Discord.

Feedback

Report issues with this review at tesslio/skill-review, or send private feedback from your terminal with tessl feedback.