Develop Alexa Skills for Amazon Echo with PHP

Develop Alexa SkillsDevelop Alexa Skills
for Amazon Echo with PHPfor Amazon Echo with PHP
AWS Tech Community Days, Cologne, 27/09/2017AWS Tech Community Days, Cologne, 27/09/2017

Ralf EggertRalf Eggert
CEO Travello GmbH, Trainer, Author, Coach,CEO Travello GmbH, Trainer, Author, Coach,
PHP Developer & Alexa Skill DeveloperPHP Developer & Alexa Skill Developer

Three questions!Three questions!

AWS Tech Community DaysAWS Tech Community DaysRalf EggertRalf Eggert 44 fromfrom 5858
AgendaAgenda
Amazon Alexa Basics 
Prepare skill 
Why PHP?
Implement skill code
Learnings 

Amazon Alexa BasicsAmazon Alexa Basics

How does an Alexa request work?How does an Alexa request work?
AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service



AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service

Voice Command


AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service

Voice Command
Voice Request


AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service

Voice Command
Voice Request
JSON Request


AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service

Voice Command
Voice Request
JSON Request
JSON Response

AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service
Text Response

Voice Command
Voice Request
JSON Request
JSON Response

AWS
Lambda
Function
Alexa Voice Service
Text Response

Voice Response
Card Response
Voice Command
Voice Request
JSON Request
JSON Response

Alternative requestAlternative request
HTTPS
Endpoint
Server
Alexa Voice Service
Text Response

Voice Response
Card Response
Voice Command
Voice Request
JSON Request
JSON Response

Alexa Voice Service (AVS)Alexa Voice Service (AVS)
Alexa Voice Service
Automatic
Speech
Recognition
(ASR)
Natural
Language
Understanding
(NLU)
Text
To
Speech
(TTS)
Voice
Command
Mapping

Alexa Skills Kit (ASK)Alexa Skills Kit (ASK)
Alexa Skills Kit
Interaction-Model /
Skill Builder
Configuration
Publishing /
Privacy
Test
Service Simulator
Beta Test

ASK OverviewASK Overview

Alexa Skill BuilderAlexa Skill Builder

AWS Lambda FunctionsAWS Lambda Functions

Possible solutionsPossible solutions
Compile PHP for AWS
Use supported runtime engine for AWS
Use own HTTPS endpoint server

Use supported runtime engine?Use supported runtime engine?

Compile PHP for AWS Lambda?Compile PHP for AWS Lambda?
https://goo.gl/N9VVvb

Use own HTTPS endpoint server?Use own HTTPS endpoint server?

Solution foundSolution found
Compile PHP for AWS
Use supported runtime engine for AWS
Use own HTTPS endpoint server

Disadvantages own HTTPS endpointDisadvantages own HTTPS endpoint
Some dev-tools only work with Lambda (API, CLI)
Need to build own library for Alexa
Server administration

Advantages own HTTPS endpointAdvantages own HTTPS endpoint
Use any software you want
Full control over server environment
Privacy concerns (soft concern)

Open-source PHP libraryOpen-source PHP library
https://github.com/travello-gmbh/

My current tech stackMy current tech stack

Create sample dialogsCreate sample dialogs

Sample dialog ISample dialog I
Alexa, start my zoo! 
Welcome to your zoo.
Please name an animal in my zoo! 
An elephant lives in your zoo.
Thanks, Alexa. 
You are welcome.

Sample dialog IISample dialog II
Alexa, start my zoo! 
Welcome to your zoo.
How many animals live in my zoo? 
42 animals live in your zoo.
Thanks, Alexa. 
You are welcome.

Create flow diagramsCreate flow diagrams

Flow diagrammFlow diagramm
Welcome to
your zoo
Start my zoo
An elephant
lives in your zoo
42 animals
live in your zoo
»name« »number«
»name« »number«
You're welcome
»thanks« »thanks«
»thanks«

Configure Alexa Skills KitConfigure Alexa Skills Kit

Create custom slot typesCreate custom slot types

Create custom intentsCreate custom intents

Configure HTTPS endpointConfigure HTTPS endpoint

Configure SSL certificateConfigure SSL certificate

Test HTTPS endpointTest HTTPS endpoint

Implement skill codeImplement skill code

Install sample applicationInstall sample application
$ git clone https://github.com/travello-gmbh/example-zoo-skill
$ cd example-zoo-skill
$ composer install
$ sudo chmod -R 777 data/cache/
// setup a virtual host for http://example-zoo-skill
// with the example-zoo-skill/html/ path as doc root

Test sample applicationTest sample application
/data/postman/collection.json

Update text fileUpdate text file
return [
'alexaLaunchTitle' => 'Welcome',
'alexaLaunchMessage' => 'Welcome to my zoo',
'alexaRepromptMessage' => 'Another animal or cancel?',
'alexaHelpTitle' => 'Help',
'alexaHelpMessage' => 'You can ask me which animal ' .
'lives in your zoo or how many animals live there.',
'alexaCancelTitle' => 'Thanks',
'alexaCancelMessage' => 'Thanks and see you soon!',
'alexaStopTitle' => 'Thanks',
'alexaStopMessage' => 'Thanks and see you soon!',
'alexaAnimalTitle' => 'An animal',
'alexaAnimalMessage' => '%1$s lives in your zoo!',
'alexaCountTitle' => 'Animal census',
'alexaCountMessage' => '%1$s animals live in your zoo!',
];
/data/texts/zoo.common.texts.de-DE.php

Create text helper classCreate text helper class
<?php
namespace ZooApplicationHelper;
use TravelloAlexaLibraryApplicationHelperAbstractTextHelper;
class ZooTextHelper extends AbstractTextHelper implements ZooTextHelperInterface
{
public function getAnimalTitle(): string
{
return $this->commonTexts[$this->locale]['alexaAnimalTitle'];
}
public function getAnimalMessage(string $animal): string
{
return sprintf($this->commonTexts[$this->locale]['alexaAnimalMessage'], $animal);
}
public function getCountTitle(): string
{
return $this->commonTexts[$this->locale]['alexaCountTitle'];
}
public function getCountMessage(int $count): string
{
return sprintf($this->commonTexts[$this->locale]['alexaCountMessage'], $count);
}
} /module/Zoo/src/Application/Helper/ZooTextHelper.php

Create zoo application ICreate zoo application I
<?php
namespace ZooApplication;
use TravelloAlexaLibraryApplicationAbstractAlexaApplication;
use TravelloAlexaLibraryRequestRequestTypeIntentRequestType;
use ZooApplicationHelperZooTextHelperInterface;
class ZooApplication extends AbstractAlexaApplication
{
protected function handleIntentRequest(): bool
{
$intentRequest = $this->alexaRequest->getRequest();
switch ($intentRequest->getIntent()->getName()) {
case 'AnimalIntent':
return $this->animalIntent();
case 'AMAZON.StopIntent':
return $this->stopIntent();
/* ... */
}
}
}
/module/Zoo/src/Application/ZooApplication.php

Create zoo application IICreate zoo application II
<?php
namespace ZooApplication;
use TravelloAlexaLibraryResponseCardStandard;
use TravelloAlexaLibraryResponseOutputSpeechSSML;
class ZooApplication extends AbstractAlexaApplication
{
private function animalIntent(): bool
{
$zooMessage = $this->textHelper->getAnimalMessage('An elephant');
$this->alexaResponse->setOutputSpeech(new SSML($zooMessage));
$this->alexaResponse->setCard(new Standard(
$this->textHelper->getAnimalTitle(),
$zooMessage,
$this->smallImageUrl,
$this->largeImageUrl
));
return true;
}
}
/module/Zoo/src/Application/ZooApplication.php

Test zoo applicationTest zoo application
/data/postman/collection.json

More featuresMore features
Session attributes step2→
Second intent step4→
https://github.com/travello-gmbh/example-zoo-skill
Species slot type step3→

Coming soon in Library 2.0Coming soon in Library 2.0
https://github.com/travello-gmbh/amazon-alexa-skill-library
Introducing Intent classes
Automatic intent handling

Early successEarly success
6 months top 10 activated skills
75.000 customers so far
64 customer reviews so far
2.500.000 utterances so far
Most accessed DE skill in 05/2017

Biggest challengesBiggest challenges
First name slot type
Signature validation
Category slot type intents→
Chance to break first skill
2nd server for tests
More complex VUI / CUI

Certification processCertification process
7 days for feedback (02/2017)
Signature validation issue
16 hours to go live (07/2017)
Single-word invocation issue
0 issues
»abbrechen« intent issue

Development numbersDevelopment numbers
10 working days total
80% for infrastructure code
15 working days total
90% for skill code
20% for skill code
10% for infrastructure code

LearningsLearnings
Start with simple skill
Test thoroughly
Write a solid code base
Build more than one skill
Design a sophisticated VUI
Do not trust slot-types blindly
Have fun!

Thanks!Thanks!
Mail: ralf@travello.audioMail: ralf@travello.audio
Web: www.travello.audioWeb: www.travello.audio

Develop Alexa Skills for Amazon Echo with PHP

More Related Content

What's hot (12)

Similar to Develop Alexa Skills for Amazon Echo with PHP (20)

More from Ralf Eggert (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Develop Alexa Skills for Amazon Echo with PHP