How To Guide: Getting Alexa to provide verbal responses

[TheFallenAngel]

Just an update. The friendly folks at DERP Group who developed the A.S.K Responder saw how we are using their tool and are doing an upgrade so that it works even better for ISY users who want voice responses from Alexa. Update will come in the next week or so, and will allow you to better utilize the Invocation and Intent without creating so many user accounts/skills. It will make it much easier to use. They also have some longer term plans to add even more features. Pretty darn exciting to be able to customize Alexa to provide updates on just about anything that the ISY can track or store as a variable. And to be able to have her respond to whatever words you can think of for the intent.

Very exciting, please keep us posted!

 

Cheers,

Alex

[blueman2]

I am continuing to tweak the ability for Alexa to provide responses to my queries.  DERP Group is not quite ready to release their new UI for their tool, but is is looking VERY promising.  My guess is another couple weeks or so.  

 

But one change I have made is to the intent.  For all my queries, I am using the following syntax:

 

"Alexa, Tell me xxxxx"

 

I tried lots of different ideas, then tested them on my family and others who are new to the Echo.  The initial idea of "Alexa, ask Home to tell me" was just too hard to remember.  Then I realized that 'TELL' one of the Alexa invocations for skills, and since I am not bound by what Amazon approves for intents, I can use 'ME' as an intent.  

 

Alexa, tell me inside temperature

Alexa, tell me outside temperature

Alexa, tell me power usage

Alexa, tell me fan speed

Alexa, tell me pool pump status

Alexa, tell me security status

 

These really roll of the tongue alot easier than "Alexa, ask xxxx" because the 'ks' and 'sk' of Alexa and Ask create a tongue twister of sorts.  

 

Again, the Portal is easier, but I love being able to do away with 'Izzy' as a concept and just keep one woman in the conversation: Alexa.   And I just like being in total control of the words I use to talk to Alexa and exactly what she responds with.  I love throwing in some dry humor in her responses to give her a bit more personality.

Edited September 26, 2016 by blueman2

[TheFallenAngel]

I am continuing to tweak the ability for Alexa to provide responses to my queries. DERP Group is not quite ready to release their new UI for their tool, but is is looking VERY promising. My guess is another couple weeks or so.

 

But one change I have made is to the intent. For all my queries, I am using the following syntax:

 

"Alexa, Tell me xxxxx"

 

I tried lots of different ideas, then tested them on my family and others who are new to the Echo. The initial idea of "Alexa, ask Home to tell me" was just too hard to remember. Then I realized that 'TELL' one of the Alexa invocations for skills, and since I am not bound by what Amazon approves for intents, I can use 'ME' as an intent.

 

Alexa, tell me inside temperature

Alexa, tell me outside temperature

Alexa, tell me power usage

Alexa, tell me fan speed

Alexa, tell me pool pump status

Alexa, tell me security status

 

These really roll of the tongue alot easier than "Alexa, ask xxxx" because the 'ks' and 'sk' of Alexa and Ask create a tongue twister of sorts.

 

Again, the Portal is easier, but I love being able to do away with 'Izzy' as a concept and just keep one woman in the conversation: Alexa. And I just like being in total control of the words I use to talk to Alexa and exactly what she responds with. I love throwing in some dry humor in her responses to give her a bit more personality.

I would go with "Alexa give me the..." I know "Tell me.." Is actually more correct, but we tent to use give more often.

 

Cheers,

Alex

Edited September 26, 2016 by TheFallenAngel

[G W]

If you want an answer, then ask a question. "What is.. " would be the correct syntax.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[larryllix]

If you want an answer, then ask a question. "What is.. " would be the correct syntax.

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

That would be more natural for me and my cultural grouping.

 

 

That covers from Colorado to Ontario. That's half the world.

Edited September 26, 2016 by larryllix

[blueman2]

The issue is that Amazon carefully controls the 'Actions' that follow the word "Alexa".  The ones set aside to use with skills (which is what I use) are: Open, Ask, Tell, and maybe a couple other words.  What is, Give me, etc are not allowed and controlled by Amazon.  

 

Of course, they have a different idea of how you would use 'tell'.  They WANT you to use it to say "Alexa, Tell Izzy to do xxxx".  And of course they also carefully control the Izzy and other skill names.  But since what I am doing is considered development and only my Echo(s) can see my skills, I get to use any word I want after Tell, Ask or Open.  "Tell me" just seemed easiest and most natural to use.  

 

Of course, playing around, I did of course create a response for "Alexa, Open a can of whup *** on my son".   Alexa responds with "Would you like a 12 ounce can. 16 ounce can, or does he need a 55 gallon drum of whup ***?"  Ah, the fun things you can do with alexa skills.  

 

EDIT: Well, color me wrong.  "Give Me" is a proper 'action'.  Hmmmm.  Canadians always get their way.  

 

Actions include:

 

ask

begin

do

launch

load

open

play

resume

run

start

talk to

tell

use

give me

can you give me

 

I still prefer "Tell me.....".  But the nice thing about this new tool DERP is creating is that you can decide for yourself how you want to talk to your Alexa.  Just keep it clean.  

Edited September 27, 2016 by blueman2

[TheFallenAngel]

If you want an answer, then ask a question. "What is.. " would be the correct syntax.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

Totally best choice!

 

Cheers,

Alex

[larryllix]

One word that should be mentioned is

 

. . . "Again"

 

Which repeats the last thing you just asked for.

 

My 6 y.o. granddaughter discovered that one with her constant gilrls music samples.

 

grrrr..... She's getting her own Dot for Christmas.

[G W]

I want to be able to use my own wake word. I don't like Alexa or Echo.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[blueman2]

I want to be able to use my own wake word. I don't like Alexa or Echo.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

+1

[mwester]

I want to be able to use my own wake word. I don't like Alexa or Echo.

 

 Me too -- I'd really prefer "Hey You!" as the wake word!

 

Of course, that's politically-incorrect in today's day and age.  I feel the preferred way might be: "Oh worthy one, I humbly beseech thee..."

[G W]

I'd like to use Zen or Slave.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[larryllix]

+3

 

"Hey Hal"

"Hey b..."

[TheFallenAngel]

I want to be able to use my own wake word. I don't like Alexa or Echo.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

+10

 

Cheers,

Alex

[TheFallenAngel]

+3

 

"Hey Hal"

"Hey b..."

1. Computer (instant nerdgasm)

2. Jarvis (so so cool)

3. Hey Bitch (when I feel like it)

 

I am Shocked they are refusing to allow us to me wake words with the bolded and underlined disclaimer "if it doesn't work - try another or use the default omes"

 

Cheers,

Alex

Edited September 27, 2016 by TheFallenAngel

[G W]

I want to use "Zen" as my wake word and when I tell Zend to do something it will do it and respond with "Confirmed."

 

And when Zen has something to tell me it will say "Information" and wait for me to respond with "Zen" and then tell me the information.

 

Short and to the point.

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[Guitartexan01]

If I could get it to scream at me in a vaguely German accent I could call it "Colonel Klink".

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blueman2]

If I could get it to scream at me in a vaguely German accent I could call it "Colonel Klink".

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hooogaaaaan!

[larryllix]

I see nothing!

[blueman2]

I am happy to let everyone know that the creators of the RESPONDER tool that allows the Echo to respond to your requests has released their updated and much improved version.  They also have changed their company name to 3PO Labs (homage to C-3PO the protocol droid for man-machine interactions).  I have updated my the first post of this thread with a WIKI and instructions on how to use their new tool.  I would appreciate it if someone would go through these instructions and let me know where I missed something, got something wrong, or need to add clarity.  I will quickly update as I get feedback from people.  Give it a try.  

 

And please thank the folks at 3PO-Labs. http://www.3po-labs.com/

Edited October 4, 2016 by blueman2

[nadler]

This looks terrific.

 

Unfortunately when testing the two network resources I created I get the following error messages: "could not open config file to read [/conf/INSTENG.OPT]" and "TCP client request failed net module Rule 50:400" My ISY seems to hang and then  reboot after this.

 

Anyone know what these messages mean?  Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Edited October 11, 2016 by nadler

[blueman2]

This issues seems like an ISY problem.  What version of ISY firmware are you running?

 

However, I do see an issue with the page you attached.  Your userID is invalid.  You have too many letters.  I think you repeated c43 twice maybe?  because your ID is 3 letters too long.  Copy/paste issue?  But even this issue should not have caused the ISY to freeze and reboot!

 

And while seeing your ID was helpful in fixing that issue, I recommend you block out at least a few of the letters in your ID when posting (remove the image above for now).  Not a big issue, but someone could use your same ID (by accident or not) and overwrite your alexa responses.  

Edited October 11, 2016 by blueman2

[nadler]

I'm running 4.5.1 firmware.  But, I noticed I didn't have the updated UI.  When I updated to the 4.5.1 UI it did seem to eliminate the reboot.  I also deleted port forwarding on my router.  Now I'm left with the "TCP client request failed Net module Rule 50:400".  Occasionally I also get a NCP error so maybe it has to do with my router.

 

Thanks.

[blueman2]

Still odd.  But fix your userID as I noted above (I editing my response with that catch) and see if that helps at all.

 

Also, try shortening the <speak> command.  just delete some of the words to shorten the sentence.  Too long of a POST message sometimes causes problems.  

Edited October 11, 2016 by blueman2

[nadler]

Wow.  Great find.  That was it.  And thanks for all your effort on putting this together writing this up.

 

Regards.