Benefits of integrating HA with the Amazon Echo Vlog

[IVB]

Put up the next vlog on the benefits of integrating a real HA engine with an Echo. Publishing here in case any of y'all need ideas on how to integrate the echo with your (homeseer|premise|vera|whatever).
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umRYxHbcQrA
 
 
Pasting the slide content so the melodious sound of my voice doesn't get you hot & bothered while you're at work or with the family.
 
1.Use voice to control far superior audio devices
•Start/stop sonos favorite playlists (ie Spotify or Amazon) on a sonos Connect or Play device
•Control other audio devices. I have a NuVo Concerto whole home audio system and a Marantz receiver.
•Control video equipment. I have a Pioneer Elite TV and an Epson Projector.
 
2.Control/monitor your security system and door/window/etc sensors
•Arm/disarm security
•Get a count and list of every open door/window
•Find out if a window/door is open
•Security system to bypass open windows then arm in stay mode. ie its hot, leaving windows open. (finishing this in a few days)
 
3.Better or additional device & app control
•Find out current NEST thermo setting (current Echo->Nest interface is set temp only)
•Work with a non-Echo integrated app (We use “Remember The Milk” for to-do lists as its better than Amazon’s list)
•Ask Alexa which plants need watering today. Using PlantLink, SmartThings integration not working, CQC driver should be done soon.
 
4.Voice control over traditionally non-voice home automation applications
•Start/Stop irrigation (Rain8Net in my garden & lawn)
•Find out how much gas is in my car (PLX Kiwi 3 OBD adapter)
•Is dishwasher / washer / dryer on? ( I still need to install the current sensor)
•Open or close curtains (This will take a while, teaching myself Arduino first)
 

 

[Dean Roddey]

Cool stuff. The ability to query for info, to me, seems the big one wrt to HA system integration. Though the more basic ability to control anything that the HA system can control, and not just what Amazon has provided integrated support for, is a pretty big one.

 

[dementeddigital]

This is very slick.
 
Do you know if Alexa can handle both Spanish and English?
How well does Alexa do with accents for people whose first language isn't English?
 
If it doesn't handle those conditions well, then it would be a no-go in my house as my wife is from South America.
 
Also, for anyone interested, here is a cheaper, DIY version of the Echo using the Alexa voice service and a Raspberry Pi:  https://github.com/amzn/alexa-avs-raspberry-pi
It's not entirely hands-free (without some extra circuitry) and it doesn't have seven microphones, but it might be a cheap way to get started with this kind of project.

 

[IVB]

well, i didn't speak english until I was 5, although I know what you mean
 
No personal knowledge about spanish although this thread says no: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/forums/ref=cs_hc_g_tv?ie=UTF8&forumID=Fx1SKFFP8U1B6N5&cdThread=TxRUD4K8LZQWG6 
 
I'll have to get my inlaws (indian accent) to try and control Alexa and determine quality of results. For them the bigger issue is not mushing all their words IntoOneSingleLongMashupThatNobodyUnderstands, the echo does better when it can determine separation of words. Most of my south american friends couldn't speak clearly & slowly if their lives depended on it.