Get Started using AutoVoice on Google Home and Amazon Echo

[batwater]

If you are anti cloud, stop, don't read any further don't pass go, don't collect $200, otherwise...

For all of you Android folks out there (and even if you are not using the platform) check out this YouTube Video: Get Started using AutoVoice on Google Home and Amazon Echo   

Google Home integration with AutoVoice / Tasker - Available now
Alexa integration with AutoVoice / Tasker - Pending Amazon approval (as of this post)

You will see in the video that you create the voice interactions on the android device and they then will work with either Google Home or Alexa. Interactions can also be created directly on API.AI developer interface.

AutoVoice also has Natural Language integration via a small monthly subscription but is not required to use with Google Home or Alexa.

In addition to the GH integration, Google Assistant on the Pixel can trigger the same interactions via an IFTTT recipe.  This is a work around until Google merges Assistant with GH capabilities.  

The developer of these tools has created a webhook to API.AI so that any back end server can take advantage of Natural Language.  This could be interfaced with CQC for very powerful natural language processing. 

BTW with AutoCast I can "speak" to my Google Home or any ChromeCast devices from CQC thus I can send alerts/announcements from CQC at will. I can specify which device will "speak" For this function group broadcast, multiple devices at same time, is not available yet.

All of these is are very powerful & flexible capabilities!!!

[wuench]

The Autocast piece is interesting, I didn't realize that the Google Home was a cast receiver for audio. So a little research and it looks like you can send commands to any cast device and tell it to play an audio file on any webserver by URL. That is actually how he implements it. He runs a little web server on your phone, saves the audio file to the phone and serves it up. Then tells a cast device to load it.

So we just need 3 pieces (no cloud or phone needed):
1.) Generate speech as an MP3, really close to what Dean is already doing I think
2.) Serve it up on a web server, CQC has a built in webserver, done.
3.) Something (CQC driver) that can send Google Cast commands (which might be handy in general).

The natural language webhook is really cool too, but one thing at a time...

[batwater]

I am now casting messages to Google Home from CQC. I'm still using AutoCast via EventGhost as it's already built and I already had the basic CQC <-> EventGhost <-> Android Device plumbing in place.

Next step is to parameterize the communication so that I can specify which Google Home the message is send it to.