Hussain Abbasi
Founder of intelliAbb
Houston, Texas, United States
Actions
He is a content-creator, blogger, speaker, streamer, and software engineer with over a decade of experience developing mobile, web, cloud, AI, and desktop applications.
Hussain is a well-known community leader in the mobile development space. He is a co-organizer of Houston Xamarin/MAUI User Group and the organizer for Houston Flutter User Group in Houston area and authors and contributes to several OSS projects.
You can find his shenanigans at hussainabbasi.com. Or his blog at intelliAbb.com. You can find him on twitter @HussainNAbbasi.
Links
Area of Expertise
Topics
Build Your Own VoiceAI on the Edge: A Hands-On Workshop with ASR, Local LLMs, and Speech Synthesis
Voice interfaces are becoming a core part of modern applications, but most implementations rely heavily on cloud services for speech recognition, inference, and speech synthesis. While convenient, this architecture introduces latency, operational cost, and privacy concerns that can make it unsuitable for many environments.
In this hands-on workshop, participants will build a fully local VoiceAI pipeline using open-source tools that run entirely on their own machine. By the end of the session, attendees will have a working system that captures spoken audio, converts it to text, runs inference using a local language model, and responds with synthesized speech, all without using external APIs.
The workshop will guide participants through setting up llama.cpp for local inference, configuring speech-to-text and text-to-speech pipelines, and exposing the model through a local HTTPS endpoint that can be tested using tools like Postman.
Rather than focusing on theory, this workshop emphasizes practical implementation. Attendees will write and run the code themselves, explore the architecture of a modular voice pipeline, and experiment with model tuning and performance tradeoffs when running AI workloads on consumer hardware.
Participants will leave with a working VoiceAI prototype and a deeper understanding of how open-source tools can be used to build privacy-first, edge-based AI systems.
What Participants Will Build:
During the workshop, participants will build a working offline VoiceAI assistant with the following capabilities:
- Capture spoken audio from a microphone
- Convert speech to text using a local STT pipeline
- Run prompts through a locally hosted LLM
- Convert generated responses to speech
- Play the response back to the user
- Expose the inference engine through an HTTPS endpoint for external clients
The final system will run entirely on the participant’s laptop.
Workshop Agenda
Part 1 — Edge AI and Voice System Architecture
We begin by walking through the architecture of a local VoiceAI system and why edge-based inference is becoming increasingly practical.
Topics covered:
- VoiceAI pipeline design
- Local vs cloud inference tradeoffs
- Overview of the tools used in the workshop
- How the components interact
Participants will also review the architecture diagram that the rest of the workshop builds toward.
Part 2 — Running a Local LLM (60 min)
Participants will install and run a local language model using llama.cpp.
Hands-on steps include:
- Downloading and running a quantized LLM
- Running the inference server from the command line
- Exposing the model through an HTTP API
- Testing prompts using curl and Postman
Participants will learn how to treat the LLM as a service that other components can interact with.
Part 3 — Speech-to-Text Integration
Next, participants will add a local speech-to-text pipeline.
Hands-on exercises include:
- Capturing microphone input
- Converting audio to text
- Sending transcripts to the LLM server
- Inspecting responses
This step establishes the first half of the voice interaction loop.
Break
Part 4 — Text-to-Speech Integration
Participants will add speech synthesis using Piper to generate spoken responses.
Hands-on exercises include:
- Installing and running Piper
- Generating speech from model responses
- Playing synthesized audio locally
- Testing voice responses
At this point, participants will have a complete speech → inference → speech loop running locally.
Part 5 — Exposing the LLM via HTTPS
In this section, participants will add a lightweight reverse proxy in front of the LLM server.
Topics covered:
- Running a local HTTPS endpoint
- Routing requests to the inference server
- Testing with Postman and external tools
- Security considerations for local AI services
Part 6 — Performance Tuning and Extensions
The workshop concludes with practical guidance on improving the system.
Topics include:
- Model size vs latency tradeoffs
- Prompt tuning
- Streaming responses
- Extending the architecture for real applications
Participants will also explore ideas for turning their prototype into a full product or research project.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Run a local LLM using open-source tools
- Build a modular VoiceAI pipeline
- Integrate speech recognition and speech synthesis locally
- Expose local inference through an HTTPS API
- Evaluate performance tradeoffs when running models on consumer hardware
Participants will also walk away with a working project they can extend after the conference.
Target Audience:
This workshop is designed for:
- Software developers
- Platform engineers
- AI/ML practitioners
- Architects exploring edge AI systems
Participants should have basic familiarity with Python and command-line tools. Prior machine learning experience is not required.
Prerequisites
Participants should bring a laptop capable of running local models.
Recommended environment:
- macOS or Linux (Windows is ok too)
- Python 3.10+
- At least 16GB RAM
- Git and basic CLI familiarity
Setup instructions will be provided before the workshop to ensure attendees can start quickly.
Building and Deploying Production-Ready REST APIs with Go
Like training for a marathon, building production-grade APIs requires the right tools, proper technique, and a solid game plan. In this session, we'll sprint through building robust RESTful APIs with Go, from fundamentals to deployment on major cloud platforms.
We'll explore:
- Go fundamentals: structs, interfaces, and goroutines for high-performance APIs
- Essential Go packages for API development: Gin, GORM, and JWT authentication
- Building RESTful endpoints with proper error handling and validation
- Database integration and middleware implementation
- Cloud deployment strategies for both Azure and AWS
- Performance monitoring and scaling techniques
Through live demonstrations, you'll see how Go's simplicity and performance make it an excellent choice for modern API development. We'll build a complete API from scratch and deploy it to both Azure and AWS, highlighting the strengths of each platform.
Target Audience:
- Backend developers interested in Go
- API architects evaluating technology choices
- DevOps engineers handling cloud deployments
Prerequisites:
- Basic understanding of REST principles
- Familiarity with any programming language
- Basic knowledge of cloud concepts
What Attendees Will Learn:
- Go language fundamentals for API development
- Best practices for structuring Go API projects
- Techniques for secure and scalable API design
- Multi-cloud deployment strategies
- Performance optimization and monitoring approaches
Getting Started With Mobile Development
Mobile development is one of the most exciting kind of projects to work on. With the proliferation of smartphones, it has been made easy to reach a large number of users via mobile apps. With the invent of App Store and Play Store, the mobile development space has grown exponentially. The technology has come along way and has made getting started with mobile development much easier.
In this session, we will explore several ways to getting started with mobile development for iOS and Android. Difference and opportunities between native and cross-platform platforms, and progressive web apps (PWA), and their tradeoffs, and the job market of the future.
Build Mobile Apps with Flutter - One Framework, All Platforms
This hands-on session demonstrates Flutter's powerful capabilities for building stunning cross-platform applications that run natively on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
Through live coding, we'll explore:
- Flutter's widget architecture and material design principles
- State management and performance optimization
- Platform-specific customization techniques
- Integration with native APIs and services
- Testing and deployment strategies
You'll witness the complete development cycle of a Flutter app, from initial setup to final deployment, showcasing Flutter's hot reload feature for rapid development and Dart's modern language features.
Target Audience:
- Mobile developers seeking cross-platform solutions
- Web developers interested in mobile development
- UI/UX designers wanting to understand Flutter's capabilities
Prerequisites:
- Basic programming knowledge
- Familiarity with any mobile platform
- No prior Flutter or Dart experience required
What Attendees Will Learn:
- Flutter framework fundamentals and architecture
- Cross-platform development best practices
- UI/UX design patterns in Flutter
- Performance optimization techniques
- Deployment strategies for multiple platforms
Deploy Your GO API to Azure Functions
Do you want to build backend application but don’t like JavaScript? Let’s GO. GO is an open-source programming language with simplicity at its core. It is supported by Google is widely in use for backend and CLI applications with a growing ecosystem of communities, partners, and tools. It is easy to get started with GO and build amazing applications.
Ok, so now you built your GO API and want to publish to Azure. In this session, we will take a tour of GO lang and explore a REST API built with GO and hosted it in Azure as Azure Function.
Build Mobile Apps with Xamarin/MAUI
Xamarin is an easy to learn and use framework that allows us to build cross-platform application for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Tizen with the power of .NET. Xamarin framework has evolved into MAUI (Multi-App User Interface) since its inception and now expands to even more platforms with .NET 6. In this session, we will learn about Xamarin and MAUI, and will build our first mobile app using C#/.NET.
Audience:
This session is for anyone who is interested in getting started with mobile app development. This session will benefit those with basic (or advanced) programming and software development knowledge. No prior mobile app development experience is necessary, but could be helpful.
Mastering Flutter: Full-Day Workshop on Real-World Application Development
Join us on a full-day journey into the world of Flutter with our expert-led workshop, tailored for developers aiming to master cross-platform application development. This workshop combines theoretical insights with hands-on practice, covering essential topics like,
1. Cross-Platform Development: Master the nuances of building applications for mobile, web, and desktop with a focus on pixel-perfect design consistency.
2. Flutter Essentials: A comprehensive introduction to Flutter, exploring its capabilities and benefits in application development.
3. Dart Language Basics: Delve into Dart, the core language of Flutter, covering key concepts and syntax for effective coding.
4. Build a Weather App: Participate in a live coding session to construct a Weather Alerts application, applying your Flutter and Dart knowledge in a practical scenario.
5. Networking and JSON: Learn to get data from REST APIs and handle JSON responses using Dart's built-in JSON package.
6. Responsive UI Design: Techniques for crafting UIs that adapt seamlessly to both small and large screens, enhancing user experience.
7. Dark Mode Implementation: Make your app adapt to user preferences and incorporate dark mode support using Themes and Material UI 3.
8. Unit Testing: Gain insights into writing and executing unit tests to ensure application reliability and maintainability.
Join us for a day packed with learning, coding, and innovation, and leave equipped to build versatile, high-quality applications in the Flutter ecosystem. Oh, and have fun doing it!
Who should attend this workshop?
This workshop is ideal for developers seeking to elevate their skills in Flutter development. Basic knowledge in OOP language e.g. C#, Java, etc. will be beneficial.
What do you need on your machine before the workshop?
To minimize setup time during the workshop, it is recommended that we have the following items setup and installed on our workstation,
- IDE: Visual Studio Code or Android Studio
- iOS Simulator and/or Android Emulator (usually part of IDE setup)
- SDK: Install Flutter SDK (which includes Dart SDK)
- Network: Access to the internet (so we can call the web API)
- Optionally, try to build a Flutter app to make sure all the setup is correct
Workshop: Build Real-World Cross-platform Applications with MAUI
Dive into the world of MAUI with our comprehensive workshop, designed for developers eager to excel in cross-platform application development. This full-day session is a blend of theory and practical exercises, covering key aspects such as:
1. Cross-Platform Development: Learn the art of creating applications for multiple platforms (mobile, web, desktop) with MAUI, ensuring consistent design and functionality.
2. MAUI Framework Overview: An in-depth look into the MAUI framework, understanding its structure, capabilities, and advantages in application development.
3. C# and .NET Basics: Explore the foundations of C# and .NET, the primary technologies behind MAUI, focusing on essential concepts and syntax for effective coding.
4. Building a Weather Alerts App: Engage in a live coding session to develop a Weather Alerts application, leveraging your MAUI and C# skills in a real-world project.
5. Data Binding and MVVM: Master the techniques of data binding and understand the Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) pattern for robust and maintainable code.
6. Responsive UI Design: Learn strategies to create user interfaces that fluidly adapt to different screen sizes, enhancing the user experience across devices.
7. Theme and Style Customization: Discover how to customize themes and styles in MAUI, including implementing dark mode to cater to user preferences.
8. Testing and Debugging: Gain practical insights into testing and debugging your MAUI applications, ensuring reliability and performance.
This workshop offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with MAUI, guided by industry experts, and is ideal for developers seeking to broaden their skillset in modern application development.
Who should attend this workshop?
This workshop is ideal for developers seeking to elevate their skills in MAUI development. Basic knowledge in OOP language e.g. C#, Java, etc. will be beneficial.
What do you need on your machine before the workshop?
To minimize setup time during the workshop, it is recommended that we have the following items setup and installed on our workstation,
- IDE: Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code
- iOS Simulator and/or Android Emulator (usually part of IDE setup)
- SDK: Install .NET SDK
- Network: Access to the internet (so we can call the web API)
- Optionally, try to build a MAUI app to make sure all the setup is correct
Join us for a day packed with learning, coding, and innovation, and leave equipped to build versatile, high-quality applications in the MAUI ecosystem. Oh, and have fun doing it!
Level Up Your MAUI Apps with AI: From Zero to Hero
Ready to add AI superpowers to your .NET MAUI applications? In this action-packed session, we'll dive into integrating OpenAI's powerful APIs into your cross-platform apps, turning them from simple mobile applications into intelligent assistants that can understand, analyze, and generate content for your users.
Just like athletes need a playbook to excel in their sport, developers need a solid strategy for AI integration. We'll cover:
- Building a robust architecture for AI integration in MAUI apps that maintains performance and responsiveness
- Implementing effective prompt management systems to ensure consistent and reliable AI responses
- Handling API authentication, rate limiting, and error scenarios gracefully
- Creating a maintainable prompt library that can evolve with your application
- Implementing streaming responses for real-time AI interactions
- Optimizing token usage and managing costs effectively
Through live coding demonstrations and real-world examples, you'll learn how to implement these features while avoiding common pitfalls. You'll walk away with practical knowledge you can immediately apply to your own projects.
Target Audience:
- .NET developers interested in AI integration
- Mobile developers looking to enhance their apps with AI capabilities
- Software architects planning AI-powered mobile solutions
Prerequisites:
- Basic familiarity with .NET MAUI
- Understanding of C# and async programming
- No prior AI experience required
What Attendees Will Learn:
- Best practices for integrating OpenAI APIs in mobile apps
- Techniques for managing and versioning prompts effectively
- Strategies for building responsive AI-powered features
- Real-world patterns for error handling and failover
- Cost optimization strategies for AI API usage
Azure B2C Mastery: From Implementation to Advanced Techniques
A practical introduction to implementing Azure B2C for cloud application authentication. This session walks through the essentials of B2C setup, configuration options, and best practices for production readiness. Perfect for developers new to cloud authentication who need to implement secure identity solutions for their applications.
Session Outline
- Understanding cloud authentication basics
- B2C tenant creation walkthrough
- Identity provider configuration
- Simple user flow setup
- Basic UI customization
- Standard sign-up and sign-in flows
- Social identity integration
- Multi-factor authentication basics
- Monitoring fundamentals
- Common issues and solutions
- Resources for further learning
Target Audience
- Developers new to cloud authentication
- Web application developers
- IT professionals exploring Azure identity solutions
- Technical teams evaluating auth options
Attendee Takeaways
- Fundamental understanding of Azure B2C capabilities
- Practical knowledge for implementing basic authentication
- Awareness of common implementation pitfalls
- Next steps for enhancing authentication security
Flutter + AI: Transform Your Phone into an Intelligent Visual Assistant
Imagine turning your smartphone into an AI-powered visual assistant that can recognize objects, analyze scenes, and respond to the world around you—all in real-time. In this practical, code-driven session, I'll demonstrate how to integrate camera functionality with cutting-edge AI models (Gemini, OpenAI,) in Flutter applications.
You'll learn:
- How to capture and process camera input efficiently in Flutter
- Techniques for sending image data to AI services like Gemini and OpenAI
- Methods for parsing and displaying AI responses in user-friendly ways
- Tips for optimizing performance and addressing battery/resource constraints
- Real-world applications including streamlining warehouse processes and accelerating tedious manual tasks
Who should attend:
- No previous AI experience needed—we'll start from the basics
- Flutter developers looking to incorporate powerful AI capabilities
- Product managers seeking to understand visual AI possibilities
- Anyone interested in leveraging existing device hardware (cameras) for AI applications
- Developers wanting practical solutions for real-world efficiency problems
Join me for this hands-on exploration of the intersection between mobile development and artificial intelligence. You'll leave with working code examples and the knowledge to build your own intelligent visual applications that can transform everyday workflows.
Hussain Abbasi
Founder of intelliAbb
Houston, Texas, United States
Links
Actions
Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers. If you suspect this profile to be fake or spam, please let us know.
Jump to top