Amazon Echo node-red integration

[Mike Biddell]

I've mailed the Echo developers and asked for integration with node-red via MQTT. I have asked for any spoken words to be returned to node-red via MQTT and any text string sent to the echo via mqtt from node to be spoken, or if part of Alexa's command set for the command to be actioned. For returned strings, we could just use regex to parse the string to effectively action anything we want. 

If actioned this would make the Echo extremely useful as an IOT tool. They have acknowledged receipt of the E mail..... but dont hold your breath. If anything does happen, I'll give a shout out here.

[Toshi Bass]

+1 ..  my fingers are crossed.

[Cor Bosman]

Better integration would be nice. Wouldn't it be better if node-red became a discoverable hub that would expose multiple connected devices?  Then all kinds of home automation tools could have node-red support.

I know you can run wemo emulation, but each device becomes its own hub and alexa limits that number. And it also limits you to on/off commands only. Much nicer would be if there would be an actual node-red skill with integrated support.

 For now I personally use HA-Bridge to configure my rpi connected devices and have Alexa discover ha-bridge and then i push all alexa commands to node-red using mqtt. I have had less luck with the wemo node inside node-red. For some reason Alexa never wants to discover them consistently.  

How are others doing this? Anyone play around yet with creating an alexa skill for their node-red devices? I was thinking of having a look at it.

[Mike Biddell]

Cor

what I have asked for will give you everything you want 

Mike

[Nick O'Leary]

There are lots of blog posts on creating Alexa skills with Node-RED. Lots and lots. A quick search will get you there.

Nick

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[Dave C-J]

Ben Hardill has submitted a Node-RED skill twice so far and it's been rejected both times for trivial "transgressions" - does seem to be a bit of a lottery.

[Simon H]

Dear Mike/All,

I created an Alexa skill to talk to node-red - followed one of the many blog posts that Nick mentions are plentiful.

Creating a skill is easy; but you do need a valid HTTPS server at least to pipe Alexa through.  I put a snipped of PHP on my business server (which happens to be local to my node-red, and HTTPS), which just eats the message sent by alexa and passes it straight to node-red, then channels any response back.

But in actuality, wemo emulation does most of what you would want in the form of control.  I have 'trevor' and 'nigel', both wifi controlled lights.  'Trevor' is nativly wemo emulating, but 'nigel' is a node-red wemo emulator which then controls the light through MQTT, as this is one way to turn it off again after a certain period (not the only way - as I can detect the light turning on through MQTT status....).

Some of my Alexa skill is documented here (including the PHP passthrough):

https://btsimonh.wordpress.com/home-automation

This is heavily based on the work of others, specifically Peter, although the Alexa skill needed to be a bit different (maybe they changed some stuff?).

It's a royal pain if every node-red user has to create their own custom skill (have an amazon developer account, etc.), but the alternative currently would be to put it all through a (single) public webserver; and then that implies costs; or at least trusting someone else...

br,

Simon

P.S. I do feel sorry for Belkin, as I'm sure the emulation of their proprietary devices is not intended to be allowed; but unless Amazon give us a public protocol, it's about the only option.  Philips Hue emulation seems possible (I've read of it being done in node), but they specifically state that use of emulation must be restricted to development of controllers; and it's FAR more complex than wemo.

[Cor Bosman]

I have both wemo and hue emulation running and so far I prefer the hue emulation. Unfortunately this cant be done through a node-red node afaik. I run HA-Bridge software which exposes a set of configured devices as one set to alexa. HA-Bridge then uses MQTT to send commands to node-red. This is a bit cleaner than having 15 wemo hubs imo, for one because there is an upper limit of 16 on these hubs I think.  But whatever works. Just personal preference. 

Simon, someone is already making a public webserver. I noticed this today while googling:  https://alexa-node-red.bm.hardill.me.uk. 

[Mark Setrem]

Cor, see Daves comment earlier...

[Cor Bosman]

I saw that, but he's making more than just a skill.  He's making a node-red alexa bridge where you define your devices. And since Simon was mentioning that, and the work involved, I figure i let him know that that already is in the works.

[Simon H]

@cor,

interesting but no banana for me... it would be a good step forward for device control; but it has some downsides.

It's Lambda; which means someone is paying for it...  Ben can't do it for free...

It only does control, no feedback.  I like that it becomes part of 'discover devices'... but...

I can ask 'Alexa, ask my house the status of devices' and get a verbal response of my choosing.....  or ask 'Alexa, ask my house about the dogs', and get a different response. Yes, it need the qualifying 'my house' to activate my skill....

Noted on the wemo limit; useful to post here. I'll have a play with Philips emulation when it comes to it.  But as you found; not so easy direct in node/node-red.  The HA-Bridge could be re-coded to run within node-red, but i did not have the time to think when i looked :). And with the Philips warn-off of the use of emulation..... 

:).

Simon