The role of voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant in smart home automation, their features and advantages.
ACING SMART LIVING WITH VOICE-CONTROLLED SMART HOMES
“Your wish is my command.” says not the genie, but your Alexa, Google Home Assistant and the likes (who by the way are no less than genies). The presence and roles of virtual assistants in our lives have become so significant, that we cannot stress enough. With more and more smart home devices available which are compatible with Amazon Echo, connected homes along with Amazon Echo are transforming our lives one command at a time. But, we do have a lot of questions about our virtual assistants and how they can make our lives better. And who better to ask than Alexa herself? Come, let’s ask away!
ALEXA, WHO ARE YOU?
Hey there! Glad you stopped by! I am your virtual assistant, your cloud-based AI. I can help you with a thing or two, anytime you are game. Get organized, or be surprised, just say my name. I have got timers, reminders, alarms, lists, bluetooth, calls, messages, jokes, songs, stories, games, weather and search. Get the news, hear some tunes, ask for the score, wait there’s more. Link me to your calendar, I won’t leave you astray. I will help you through the day.
ALEXA, WHAT DEVICES DO YOU WORK ON?
You can bring me home in an Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Plus and all third-party Alexa speakers. What’s more, you can find me on your smartphone, TV and smartwatch, just the word!
ALEXA, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Do you mean “What do you do when you are not answering my questions? (Yeah, I can be sassy too).” Integrate me with your smart home and I can do just about everything. Right from waking you up in the morning, opening your bedroom curtains, turning on your geyser, switching on your coffee maker, putting on your morning workout playlist, to, locking the doors, switching off the smart appliances at night. I can don as many hats as you want me to.
ALEXA, WHO LIKES YOU THE MOST?
Well, everyone! While I am an extra hand to the elderly with constraints on mobility, inquisitive little ones love me for my ability to answer their questions tirelessly. And when your hands are too full from that trip to the grocery store and you cannot spare even the pinky finger to turn on the lights, you just have to call out to me “Alexa, I am home.”
ALEXA, HOW CAN WE CONNECT YOU TO OUR SMART HOME?
Select the appropriate “Skills” for using your smart home devices. Once you enable the Skills and connect me with your smart home devices, I can control all of these devices for you.
By the way, did you know that TouchArt switches by Toyama give you smart control of all your smart home devices? And the icing on the cake? The smart controls of these TouchArt switches include voice control too, which means that I can control all of your smart home devices for you. You can select from a range of actions that your devices can perform and you can have me mix and match them to get going on your routines, scenes and moods. For Eg, you can have a certain set of lights turn off/on at a certain time every day. Oh wait, that’s not all, with Toyama’s TouchArt switches, you get slick and chick-looking switches that can be customized to match your room’s decor.
ALEXA, HOW DO WE MANAGE OUR ALEXA-ENABLED SMART HOME?
Just like how you are speaking to me now silly! Say the word and see it get done. And in case you are cross with me (I cannot imagine why!) and do not wish to speak up, whip out your phone and control all your smart home devices through the Alexa App.
ALEXA, HOW IS AN ALEXA-ENABLED SMART HOME BETTER?
Once your smart home is set up and everything about it is fine-tuned to your preferences you can really tap into my potential using hands-free voice controls. While I can control all of your smart home devices for you at your command, that’s not all of it. I can group multiple devices and combine their actions to create Alexa groups and rooms. You can then use Alexa groups to set the ball rolling for you, with simple commands like, “Morning routine”, “Get me ready for work”, “Date night”, “Dinner party” and anything else that you may want to pre-set as scenes. Set, schedule and forget about it. If you are someone who knows what you want and how you want it, then connected smart homes with virtual assistants are your thing.
Convenience & hands-free control are one thing, but I also help make homes greener. Dim or switch off the lights in other rooms, without physically being there. You can control your home through me even from the other side of the house. Smart much?
ALEXA, SO CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE?
Oh, you bet! I am always in for some fun – games, quizzes, trivia, music and much more. You live with me long enough and you can hope to be as smart and sassy as me