Writing Alexa Voice Skills with NodeJS- David Janes
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This document provides an overview of creating Alexa voice skills with Node.js and connecting them to IoT devices. It discusses choosing an architecture, creating a skill in the Alexa Skill Console, defining the interaction model with intents, slots and utterances, testing your skill, and connecting it to IoT devices through a cloud server. Sample code is provided on GitHub to demonstrate handling requests from Alexa and responding with text.
Writing Alexa Voice Skills with NodeJS- David Janes
- 1. Writing AlexaVoice Skills With NodeJS (with a little IoT)
- 3. Introduction
- 4. Important Links • Alexa Skills Console https://developer.amazon.com/edw/ home.html#/skills/list • Sample Code & Skill https://github.com/dpjanes/homestar-alexa
- 5. Topics Covered • Choosing an Architecture • Creating a Skill • Interaction Model • Skills for the IoT • Testing your Skill
- 6. Emphasis • We'll focus on core concepts • Intent, Slots, Utterances • From definition to implementation
- 7. About IOTDB • Open Source IoT Platform • Based on Semantics • Natural fit for voice control • https://github.com/dpjanes/node-iotdb
- 8. Architecture
- 9. Many Moving Parts • Home • Amazon Echo • IoT Device • Iot Controller • Amazon • AlexaVoice Skill • Cloud • Skill Server • Vendor Server • Proxy Server
- 11. Typical AlexaVoice Skill (AWS Lambda)
- 12. Cloud Based
- 13. Home Based
- 14. Proxy Based
- 15. This Presentation • Focus on writing AlexaVoice Skill • Communications between Cloud and your Home will be "open"
- 16. e.g. mainly this
- 18. e.g. here
- 19. Getting Started • https://developer.amazon.com/edw/ home.html#/skills/list • Create an Account if you don't have one • will require SMS verification • Select "Add a New Skill"
- 21. Alexa Skill Editor • We'll focus on • Skill Information • Interaction Model • Configuration • Test
- 24. Creating New Skill: Skill Information
- 25. Skill Information: Skill Type • Different types of Skills • Custom: the most flexible • Smart Home Skill: don't have to use the "magic word" (the Invocation Name) • Flash Briefing: news
- 26. Skill Information: Skill Type • What will appear in your Skills List • What will appear in the App Store
- 27. Skill Information: Invocation Name • The "Magic Word" • Alexa, ask HomeStar to … • Alexa, tell HomeStar to … • Not needed with Smart Home Skills
- 30. This is the Cool Part • The Interaction Model determines how Alexa interprets your voice commands
- 31. Interaction Terminology • Utterances • Slots • Intents
- 32. Utterances • Step 1 in writing your AlexaVoice Skill • Write down things you want to say • Look for Patterns
- 33. Utterances "Ask HomeStar…" • turn on Stove • turn off Stove • turn on Light • turn on Light in the Kitchen • turn off TV • turn off Living Room TV • turn off everything • to turn off everything • to turn off everything in the Living Room • turn down TV • turn down TV in the Living Room
- 34. Utterances "Ask HomeStar…" • turn on {Thing} • turn off {Thing} • turn on {Thing} • turn on {Thing} in the Kitchen • turn off {Thing} • turn off Living Room {Thing} • turn off {Thing} • to turn off {Thing} • to turn off {Thing} in the Living Room • turn down {Thing}
- 35. Utterances "Ask HomeStar…" • turn on {Thing} • turn off {Thing} • turn on {Thing} • turn on {Thing} in the {Zone} • turn off {Thing} • turn off {Zone} {Thing} • turn off {Thing} • to turn off {Thing} • to turn off {Thing} in the {Zone} • turn down {Thing} • turn down {Thing} in the {Zone}
- 36. Utterances "Ask HomeStar…" • {Action} {Thing} • {Action} {Thing} • {Action} {Thing} • {Action} {Thing} in the {Zone} • {Action} {Thing} • {Action} {Zone} {Thing} • {Action} {Thing} • to {Action} {Thing} • to {Action} {Thing} in the {Zone} • {Action} {Thing} • {Action} {Thing} in the {Zone}
- 37. Utterances "Ask HomeStar…" • {Action} {Thing} • to {Action} {Thing} • {Action} {Thing} in the {Zone} • to {Action} {Thing} in the {Zone} • {Action} {Zone} {Thing} • to {Action} {Zone} {Thing}
- 38. Slots • These are the {variables} in the Utterances • e.g. {Thing}, {Zone}, {Action} • two types of slots: • Custom (e.g. above) • Built-In
- 39. Slots (Built-In) • Date • Duration • Four Digit Number • Number • Time • Cities…
- 40. Slots {Thing} • lamp • light • coffee maker • kettle • stove • tv…
- 41. Slots {Action} • turn off • turn on • turn down • turn up • open • close
- 42. Slots {Zone} • Back Door • Back Garden • Back Hall • Back Porch • Basement • Basement Bathroom…
- 43. Intents • Basically, Intents are "phases" of your conversation with Alexa • If "single shot" then this isn't very complicated - just define a "FirstIntent", e.g. HomeStarFirst Intent
- 48. Configuration: Endpoint • Two (major options) • AWS Lambda • Hosted - contacts a url • Note the URL we are using - we'll see it again soon
- 49. Configuration: Account Linking • Used for connecting to systems that have accounts! • E.g. Smart Homes - what Smart Home does Alexa have to talk to • Set up when user connects to Skill
- 50. Configuration: Account Linking • Alexa calls your Authorize URL with a number of parameters • Let the user do something on your website to confirm it • Your website redirects back to Alexa with a number of magic parameters
- 51. Alexa Skill Endpoint / Your Server
- 52. e.g. here
- 53. Sample Code • url: https://github.com/dpjanes/homestar-alexa/ • ./hosted/monitor_1.js
- 54. N.B. • Alexa Skill is configured to hit https://alexa.homestar.io/request • You must use HTTPS • Amazon provides flexibility in certs
- 55. Sample Code (1)
- 57. The Request
- 58. The Request • "session" • a session of interactions (captured in Intents) between user and Alexa • user login info (from Account Linking) • "request" • the Intent and Slot data
- 60. The Request "session" • "new": we can be continuing a session • "sessionId": in case you are, for logging • "user": all this is set up by Account Linking • not required if just for yourself
- 62. The Request "request" • "type" • "locale" • "intent"
- 63. The Request "request/intent" • "name" • "slots" • Action / Query / Zone / Thing • We defined these!
- 64. The Request "request/intent" • "request/intent/slots/Action/value": the {{ Action }} • "request/intent/slots/Thing/value": the {{ Thing }}
- 65. The Response
- 66. The Response • "response/outputSpeech/text": this is what Alexa will say to the user • "response/shouldEndSession": make false if you want to keep going
- 67. Sample Code (II)
- 70. Test
- 71. Going Further
- 72. IOTDB • NPM modules • iotdb • homestar • iotdb-commands • takes Action / Thing / &c and does it
- 73. Demo (III) live
- 74. Get in touch! David Janes @dpjanes davidjanes@iotdb.org http://iotdb.org/social/imadeit/