[Pat Smith]

Hi, I have the latest version hal v6 with x10 equipt. I was wondering if the amazon Echo will work with hal and x10.

[TimShriver]

Not at this time. We have an Echo and the developer kit. The speech recognition engine in the Echo uses a cloud based dictation engine which listens for every possible word. HAL on the other hand is context driven and only listens for phrases and words relevant to the devices configured in your home thereby increasing the recognition quality.

We are looking into ways of using the echo as a speech station to stream audio to HAL for processing since it does possess a very good set of array microphones. I won't count out the possibility of using Echo's speech engine in the future, but for now we will not...

Regards,

Tim

[BDD43]

Tim,
Just an idea. I've been writing skills with the Echo (my own web service, local).
I'm thinking HAL's internet service could be used for a web service and then incorporate the Echo's JSON to fire off macros, etc.

My skill; "Good Night"
Currently I can say, "Alexa, start Good Night"....My web service then runs HAL's macro Good Night, which shuts off my TV, main lights, turns on security, etc. Then as a return response she says, "Good Night and sweet dreams"

With the current way Amazon is running, it would have to be "Alexa, Tell HAL to <command>" for overall control of the product.

Just thinking out loud.

[TimShriver]

Hi Darrin,

We have two different Echo interfaces. One is a skill, the other is a java jar that runs and mimics a Phllips hue bridge to make HAL's devices look like HUE devices. Both use our new HALws (Web Services) described here...http://www.automatedliving.com/docs/...umentation.pdf

http://www.automatedliving.com/forum...1524#post31524

Feel free to give me a call sometime and I'd be happy to tell you about our current efforts around Alexa.

Tim

[BDD43]

Yes, read all about the Hue bridge as well. I can't remember, but with that can't you do a direct call? "Alexa, turn off the office light" without "Alexa, Tell HAL to <command>"?

Glad you are on it and glad you have the HALws as well.
Do you have any youtube videos or in house videos to show how you are utilizing HAL and the Echo?
I've pushed HAL out to many forums including the skills forum to show "let HAL do what HAL does best" (handle all your home automation, schedules, etc.) and let the Echo do what it does best (answer questions and verbal recognition).

Another question: Does HAL now work with the insteon hub, or still using the PLM?

[TimShriver]

Yes, you can speak directly and not have to Ask / Tell HAL to... We have not published/released our support for Alexa so no videos or docs yet.

We are finishing up support for the VeraEdge and VeraPlus. There is some internal discussion about our technology road map which we have been adjusting recently. So I'm not sure as to the timetable for supporting the Insteon Hub... I know it is on the the road map, but I can't tell you when we will be arriving at that destination

Let me know what you think of the HALws when you start playing with it.

Thanks,

Tim

[BDD43]

From what I've done, there isn't much you can do with the Hub....or I haven't dove enough into it. I do know the status update on the devices is very slow.

I still use the PLM for everything, so I have both running without conflict.

Everyone is wanting home automation and it does work with Insteon and a few others, but what no one has is a way to say, "Alexa, schedule my office light to go off at sunrise".

The MAIN issue is the Echo does not allow push notifications as is.
I fake it by having it as a bluetooth speaker and notifications coming from my computer. HAL is set to use the bluetooth as well.

I am currently not on the latest version of HAL, but like where this is all going.

[TimShriver]

Thanks Darin,

We like the direction HAL is going in as well. The HALws was long overdue since the HALi control had to operate on the actual HAL server. Now a control app can run anywhere and in any form. The next version of HALws will allow you to create actions and soon after add schedules and macros. There are lots of cool things in HAL that most people aren't aware of... I will post a few in another thread.

You need to get current!

Cheers,

Tim

[BDD43]

I've been keeping an eye on HAL, but still need to see, "This is what you gain from going from 5 to 6"..

[kendurbin]

I would like to know more about this ability to have Amazon Alexa communicate with Hal. I am on latest version of Hal and would like to set this up.