This document discusses Amazon Alexa and provides examples of using Alexa skills. It describes Amazon Alexa as the cloud-based interface behind Amazon voice assistant devices. It then discusses several built-in Alexa capabilities like music, news, shopping and smart home controls. The document also outlines how to create custom Alexa skills and test them using devices, text and voice emulators. It provides two examples of Alexa skills, one for getting employee availability in an office and one for asking questions on various technical topics by invoking the "Question" skill.

1. AMAZON ALEXA
our successes and fails
15 Sep 2017
DevBDay

2. Viachaslau Lialkin
EPAM Systems
vlialkin
2

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Introduction to
Amazon Alexa

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Amazon Alexa is the cloud-based "brain" behind
Amazon voice assistant devices.

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Music & Entertainment
News & Information
Calling & Messaging
Help Around the House
Shopping experience
Custom Skills
Assists with

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// Information & Help

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// Music

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// Smart home

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There is also store for Alexa Skills …

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Echo Dot
$49.99
Amazon Echo
$179.99
Echo Show
$229.99
// Devices

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Amazon Alexa engine
Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo Dot devices
Amazon Echo Show

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How phrases
are built?

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Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride

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Keyword
First word in every request
Required to wake up the device
Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride

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Skill invocation name
Defined by Skill developer
Phrase is sent to the concrete Skill
Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride

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Intent from the Uber Skill
Should be defined by Skill developer
Multiple utterances of single action are possible
Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride

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Alexa, set timer for 20 minutes
No skill invocation name, because
it is built-it Alexa functionality

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// How to create Skill
- Set Invocation Name (string)
- Build Interaction Model (json)
- Implement Speechlet interface
void onSessionStarted(SessionStartedRequest, Session)
void onSessionEnded(SessionEndedRequest, Session)
SpeechletResponse onLaunch(LaunchRequest, Session)
SpeechletResponse onIntent(IntentRequest, Session)

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// How to test
- Use devices (thanks, Captain!)
- Use text emulator
- Use voice emulator

22. Story #1: Alexa Office 

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Alexa, ask Office where is Viachaslau Lialkin

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Alexa, ask Office where is Viachaslau Lialkin
Viachaslau Lialkin is on the meeting till 17:00
Viachaslau Lialkin is on vacation till September 22
Unfortunately Viachaslau Lialkin is on sick leave today

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// How does it work
HTTPS
Web-app
(Java)
Telescope API
MS Exchange API
Amazon Developer web-interface
"office" EmployeeAvailabilityIntent
- "where is {EmployeeName} now",
- "is {EmployeeName} free now",
- "is {EmployeeName} available now",
- "is {EmployeeName} busy now",
- "to find {EmployeeName}"
Heroku
Endpoint
Type
(our URL)
Skill
Name
External APIs
Invocation
Name
("office")

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// What did we do well
- Integration w/ external systems
- Synonyms in Interaction Model (voice-to-text)
- Synonyms in web-app (text-to-identifier)
- Transcription of names in web-app (text-to-voice)
OK
OK
OK
OK

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- Bad recognition and pronunciation of
names (voice-to-text and text-to-voice)
- Not convenient to ask Alexa and better to
check manually
ERR
ERR
// Known problems

28. Story #2: Alexa Question 

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Alexa, ask Question

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Java Core - Could you please describe, what is
happening during adding element into LinkedList?
Spring - What is DispatcherServlet?
Alexa, ask Question
Design Patterns - Could you please compare
patterns Facade and Adapter?

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// How does it work
%
Amazon Developer web-interface
"question" QuestionIntent
- "question",
- "please",
- "next",
- "repeat",
- "from {tag}",
- "about {tag}"
TXT-file
with 60+
questions
Skill
Name
Invocation
Name
("question")

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