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I love waking up to the sunshine in my bedroom.... my wife like to go to sleep in the dark. Thankfully a Lego Mindstorms motor and Amazon Alexa can throw shade on the situation.
Voice commands to an Echo Dot will raise and lower the blinds via Lego Mindstorms medium motor.
Video DemonstrationWalkthroughThis project uses a Lego Mindstorm EV3 brick connected via Bluetooth to an Amazon Echo Dot as an Alexa Gadget. An Alexa skill controls the voice interaction to lower and raise the blinds.
The EV3 brick was booted using ev3dev linux based operating system. alexa-gadgets-mindstorms sdk was installed using the setup shell script provided by Hackster.io.
Visual Studio Code and the Alexa Gadget SDK / EV3DEV plugin allowed connecting to the EV3 brick for debugging and loading the SDK and project code.
The lambda code was loaded to the Alexa Developer console via web portal. The interaction model was created and built via web portal. One issue I ran into was not saving and building the interaction model before testing. I was only saving the interaction model therefore my intents were not recognized. I hosted the lambda code on the built in host of Alexa Developer console.
Key code on the python code on the ev3 brick is the raise blind command.
def _activate(self, command, speed=500):
"""
Handles preset commands.
:param command: the preset command
:param speed: the speed if applicable
"""
print("Activate command: ({}, {})".format(command, speed))
if command in Command.RAISE_BLIND.value:
self.motor.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=5000, speed_sp=500, stop_action="hold")
print('running raise blinds')
if command in Command.LOWER_BLIND.value:
self.motor.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-5000, speed_sp=500, stop_action="hold")
print('running lower blinds')
The control of the motor is handled by the ev3dev2.motor class.
CodeAll the code including the lambda is hosted at github in the repo: https://github.com/philltran/throwing-shade
# Copyright 2019 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
#
# You may not use this file except in compliance with the terms and conditions
# set forth in the accompanying LICENSE.TXT file.
#
# THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. AMAZON SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS, WITH
# RESPECT TO THESE MATERIALS, ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING
# THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
import time
import logging
import json
import random
import threading
from enum import Enum
from agt import AlexaGadget
from ev3dev2.led import Leds
from ev3dev2.sound import Sound
from ev3dev2.motor import OUTPUT_A, SpeedPercent, Motor
# Set the logging level to INFO to see messages from AlexaGadget
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
class Direction(Enum):
"""
The list of directional commands and their variations.
These variations correspond to the skill slot values.
"""
FORWARD = ['forward', 'forwards', 'go forward', 'raise', 'up']
BACKWARD = ['back', 'backward', 'go backward', 'lower', 'down']
STOP = ['stop', 'brake']
class Command(Enum):
"""
The list of preset commands and their invocation variation.
These variations correspond to the skill slot values.
"""
LOWER_BLIND = ['lower', 'lower blind', 'throw shade']
RAISE_BLIND = ['raise', 'raise blind', 'remove shade']
class MindstormsGadget(AlexaGadget):
"""
A Mindstorms gadget that performs movement based on voice commands.
Two types of commands are supported, directional movement and preset.
"""
def __init__(self):
"""
Performs Alexa Gadget initialization routines and ev3dev resource allocation.
"""
super().__init__()
# Ev3dev initialization
self.leds = Leds()
self.sound = Sound()
self.motor = Motor(OUTPUT_A)
def on_connected(self, device_addr):
"""
Gadget connected to the paired Echo device.
:param device_addr: the address of the device we connected to
"""
self.leds.set_color("LEFT", "GREEN")
self.leds.set_color("RIGHT", "GREEN")
print("{} connected to Echo device".format(self.friendly_name))
def on_disconnected(self, device_addr):
"""
Gadget disconnected from the paired Echo device.
:param device_addr: the address of the device we disconnected from
"""
self.leds.set_color("LEFT", "BLACK")
self.leds.set_color("RIGHT", "BLACK")
print("{} disconnected from Echo device".format(self.friendly_name))
def on_custom_mindstorms_gadget_control(self, directive):
"""
Handles the Custom.Mindstorms.Gadget control directive.
:param directive: the custom directive with the matching namespace and name
"""
try:
payload = json.loads(directive.payload.decode("utf-8"))
print("Control payload: {}".format(payload))
control_type = payload["type"]
if control_type == "move":
# Expected params: [direction, duration, speed]
self._move(payload["direction"], int(payload["duration"]), int(payload["speed"]))
if control_type == "command":
# Expected params: [command]
self._activate(payload["command"])
except KeyError:
print("Missing expected parameters: {}".format(directive))
def _move(self, direction, duration: int, speed: int, is_blocking=False):
"""
Handles move commands from the directive.
Right and left movement can under or over turn depending on the surface type.
:param direction: the move direction
:param duration: the duration in rotations
:param speed: the speed percentage as an integer
:param is_blocking: if set, motor run until duration expired before accepting another command
"""
print("Move command: ({}, {}, {}, {})".format(direction, speed, duration, is_blocking))
position = duration * 360
if direction in Direction.FORWARD.value:
self.motor.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=(position), speed_sp=(speed), stop_action="hold")
if direction in Direction.BACKWARD.value:
self.motor.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=(-position), speed_sp=(speed), stop_action="hold")
if direction in Direction.STOP.value:
self.motor.stop(stop_action="hold")
def _activate(self, command, speed=500):
"""
Handles preset commands.
:param command: the preset command
:param speed: the speed if applicable
"""
print("Activate command: ({}, {})".format(command, speed))
if command in Command.RAISE_BLIND.value:
self.motor.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=5000, speed_sp=500, stop_action="hold")
print('running raise blinds')
if command in Command.LOWER_BLIND.value:
self.motor.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-5000, speed_sp=500, stop_action="hold")
print('running lower blinds')
if __name__ == '__main__':
# Startup sequence
gadget = MindstormsGadget()
gadget.sound.play_song((('C4', 'e'), ('D4', 'e'), ('E5', 'q')))
gadget.leds.set_color("LEFT", "GREEN")
gadget.leds.set_color("RIGHT", "GREEN")
# Gadget main entry point
gadget.main()
# Shutdown sequence
gadget.sound.play_song((('E5', 'e'), ('C4', 'e')))
gadget.leds.set_color("LEFT", "BLACK")
gadget.leds.set_color("RIGHT", "BLACK")
/*
* Copyright 2019 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
*
* You may not use this file except in compliance with the terms and conditions
* set forth in the accompanying LICENSE.TXT file.
*
* THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. AMAZON SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS, WITH
* RESPECT TO THESE MATERIALS, ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING
* THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
*/
// This sample demonstrates sending directives to an Echo connected gadget from an Alexa skill
// using the Alexa Skills Kit SDK (v2). Please visit https://alexa.design/cookbook for additional
// examples on implementing slots, dialog management, session persistence, api calls, and more.
const Alexa = require('ask-sdk-core');
const Util = require('./util');
const Common = require('./common');
// The namespace of the custom directive to be sent by this skill
const NAMESPACE = 'Custom.Mindstorms.Gadget';
// The name of the custom directive to be sent this skill
const NAME_CONTROL = 'control';
const LaunchRequestHandler = {
canHandle(handlerInput) {
return Alexa.getRequestType(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'LaunchRequest';
},
handle: async function(handlerInput) {
let request = handlerInput.requestEnvelope;
let { apiEndpoint, apiAccessToken } = request.context.System;
let apiResponse = await Util.getConnectedEndpoints(apiEndpoint, apiAccessToken);
if ((apiResponse.endpoints || []).length === 0) {
return handlerInput.responseBuilder
.speak(`I couldn't find an EV3 Brick connected to this Echo device. Please check to make sure your EV3 Brick is connected, and try again.`)
.getResponse();
}
// Store the gadget endpointId to be used in this skill session
let endpointId = apiResponse.endpoints[0].endpointId || [];
Util.putSessionAttribute(handlerInput, 'endpointId', endpointId);
return handlerInput.responseBuilder
.speak("Welcome, you can start issuing shade commands")
.reprompt("Awaiting commands")
.getResponse();
}
};
// Add the speed value to the session attribute.
// This allows other intent handler to use the specified speed value
// without asking the user for input.
const SetSpeedIntentHandler = {
canHandle(handlerInput) {
return Alexa.getRequestType(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'IntentRequest'
&& Alexa.getIntentName(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'SetSpeedIntent';
},
handle: function (handlerInput) {
// Bound speed to (1-1000)
let speed = Alexa.getSlotValue(handlerInput.requestEnvelope, 'Speed');
speed = Math.max(1, Math.min(1000, parseInt(speed)));
Util.putSessionAttribute(handlerInput, 'speed', speed);
return handlerInput.responseBuilder
.speak(`speed set to ${speed} units.`)
.reprompt("awaiting command")
.getResponse();
}
};
// Construct and send a custom directive to the connected gadget with
// data from the MoveIntent request.
const MoveIntentHandler = {
canHandle(handlerInput) {
return Alexa.getRequestType(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'IntentRequest'
&& Alexa.getIntentName(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'MoveIntent';
},
handle: function (handlerInput) {
const request = handlerInput.requestEnvelope;
const direction = Alexa.getSlotValue(request, 'Direction');
// Duration is optional, use default if not available
const duration = Alexa.getSlotValue(request, 'Duration') || "2";
// Get data from session attribute
const attributesManager = handlerInput.attributesManager;
const speed = attributesManager.getSessionAttributes().speed || "500";
const endpointId = attributesManager.getSessionAttributes().endpointId || [];
// Construct the directive with the payload containing the move parameters
const directive = Util.build(endpointId, NAMESPACE, NAME_CONTROL,
{
type: 'move',
direction: direction,
duration: duration,
speed: speed
});
const speechOutput = (direction === "brake")
? "Applying brake"
: `${direction} ${duration} seconds at ${speed} speed`;
return handlerInput.responseBuilder
.speak(speechOutput)
.reprompt("awaiting command")
.addDirective(directive)
.getResponse();
}
};
// Construct and send a custom directive to the connected gadget with data from
// the SetCommandIntent request.
const SetCommandIntentHandler = {
canHandle(handlerInput) {
return Alexa.getRequestType(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'IntentRequest'
&& Alexa.getIntentName(handlerInput.requestEnvelope) === 'SetCommandIntent';
},
handle: function (handlerInput) {
let command = Alexa.getSlotValue(handlerInput.requestEnvelope, 'Command');
if (!command) {
return handlerInput.responseBuilder
.speak("Can you repeat that?")
.reprompt("What was that again?").getResponse();
}
const attributesManager = handlerInput.attributesManager;
let endpointId = attributesManager.getSessionAttributes().endpointId || [];
let speed = attributesManager.getSessionAttributes().speed || "50";
// Construct the directive with the payload containing the move parameters
let directive = Util.build(endpointId, NAMESPACE, NAME_CONTROL,
{
type: 'command',
command: command,
speed: speed
});
return handlerInput.responseBuilder
.speak(`command ${command} activated`)
.reprompt("awaiting command")
.addDirective(directive)
.getResponse();
}
};
// The SkillBuilder acts as the entry point for your skill, routing all request and response
// payloads to the handlers above. Make sure any new handlers or interceptors you've
// defined are included below. The order matters - they're processed top to bottom.
exports.handler = Alexa.SkillBuilders.custom()
.addRequestHandlers(
LaunchRequestHandler,
SetSpeedIntentHandler,
SetCommandIntentHandler,
MoveIntentHandler,
Common.HelpIntentHandler,
Common.CancelAndStopIntentHandler,
Common.SessionEndedRequestHandler,
Common.IntentReflectorHandler, // make sure IntentReflectorHandler is last so it doesn't override your custom intent handlers
)
.addRequestInterceptors(Common.RequestInterceptor)
.addErrorHandlers(
Common.ErrorHandler,
)
.lambda();
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