Jump to content

apex integration with Alexa or Google home


scott711

Recommended Posts

I also started playing around with the ability to incorporate the Apex with either Alexa or Google home. The Apex is basically a little Internet of Things hub. Nothing cooler than saying "hey Alexa/Google, feed my fish"

 

There are other posts about this but the Apex app uses HTTP POST commands to send commands to your local Apex controller/Web server. 

 

Then you can use: Google Home + IFTTT + Home Assistant + Command Line Curl to start your adventure as seen here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBGr2lnew2Y#action=share

 

very cool.

 

In order to incorporate Alexa into the Apex, there is a little more involved.  You need to create a "Skill".  Not getting into specifics here, but here is a short video of someone using Alexa with their Apex:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BX0OOv5lJzP/?taken-by=nullreef

 

Also very cool.

 

I can get into specifics if people are interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is potentially very cool.

 

Is there any way to get her to translate: "Status: ON Statement: If Swx5_3 CLOSED Then ON" to "You have water on your office floor and you'd better get in the car now!" 

Edited by mogurnda
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is potentially very cool.

 

Is there any way to get her to translate: "Status: ON Statement: If Swx5_3 CLOSED Then ON" to "You have water on your office floor and you'd better get in the car now!" 

 

haha. Of course.  Just create an alert and you will get an email and a text.  You can also setup an audible or visual alarm.  You could even setup a wifi camera to look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

haha. Of course.  Just create an alert and you will get an email and a text.  You can also setup an audible or visual alarm.  You could even setup a wifi camera to look.

I am already getting texts and emails, just wondering whether she could figure out how to say it in plain English.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am already getting texts and emails, just wondering whether she could figure out how to say it in plain English.  

 

You could create a virtual outlet and call it "oh crap" or something like that.  Then have it go on whenever you get an alarm.  so instead of getting a text with "Status: ON Statement: If Swx5_3 CLOSED Then ON" you would get a text saying "oh crap"....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That Instagram video of Alexa giving the Calcium trend and making dosing recommendations is fantastic. Can you get that kind of programming, or code it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That Instagram video of Alexa giving the Calcium trend and making dosing recommendations is fantastic. Can you get that kind of programming, or code it?

 

If I understand your question, you are asking if you get that type of program and "add" it to Alexa or do you have to code it?

 

In very high level terms you have to do both. You start with building an Alexa "skill".  Once you create that you have to do the coding so Alexa can communicate and interpret the Apex Fusion API. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I understand your question, you are asking if you get that type of program and "add" it to Alexa or do you have to code it?

 

In very high level terms you have to do both. You start with building an Alexa "skill".  Once you create that you have to do the coding so Alexa can communicate and interpret the Apex Fusion API. 

 

You got it. 

 

As far as I know, there's not a probe for calcium, so was she probably reading off data he was manually inputting into Fusion? Still cool...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You got it. 

 

As far as I know, there's not a probe for calcium, so was she probably reading off data he was manually inputting into Fusion? Still cool...

 

Yes, you can manually add measurements and track them in Apex fusion.  I do the same with Alk.  It charts it, gives you a max/min/avg. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...
 
Yes, you can manually add measurements and track them in Apex fusion.  I do the same with Alk.  It charts it, gives you a max/min/avg. 
Don't know of you guys saw, but Neptune put out a YouTube video tutorial on Alexa and Apex! Really interesting what you can do!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, TrueTricia said:

Don't know of you guys saw, but Neptune put out a YouTube video tutorial on Alexa and Apex! Really interesting what you can do!
 

 

I just watched it. Thanks for point it out.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Anyone get got this to work for them? Santa gave me Alexa so I though i would put her to good use.

Could use some help getting her to turn off some outlets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I did. See the Neptune video in my last post. That was my starting point. You need to link your Apex to Apex Fusion first. Then you need to let Alexa know about Apex Fusion as a skill. Then, you have to go into the Fusion interface, where you'll find (under the gear icon) a microphone (hover over it and you'll see "voice."). That's where you'll define your status reports and aliases (which you can use to turn outlets on and off. Using virtual outlets, you can control a group of things if you want to get more complicated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did that and Alexa and Apex are linked and working and can get it to give me a status report. I was trying to get voice command to turn off/on the skimmer, but it would not work.  What command do i have to add to the Aliases?

 

many thanks

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, menglish said:

I did that and Alexa and Apex are linked and working and can get it to give me a status report. I was trying to get voice command to turn off/on the skimmer, but it would not work.  What command do i have to add to the Aliases?

 

I believe that you can get a default status report without setting anything up. So it's possible that you've not taken the next step. However, it does tell us that you've successfully linked Apex Fusion to Alexa. That's positive progress.

 

Now, look at the following snapshots of from my desktop browser. (Neptune's Terence, in his video, uses his iPhone for this step but I did it from my desktop PC.) 

 

large.Apex_1.png.9c165364bb24386aae6f402

You want to click on the gear icon. That will bring up a few more, including a new one that looks like a microphone.

 

large.Apex_2.png.3983ff2d20ca20e66839c65

Now, click on the microphone to bring up the next screen.

 

small.Apex_3.png.f73db1ec2dce84941e3366d

Look at the image above. The box in the upper right allows you to customize the information that you get in your status report. In this example, I've requested the temperature and pH of my main display. Below that frame is another frame that defines various "aliases" - or commands that I can use with Alexa. You can see that I'm defining Feed A and Feed D as aliases to trigger Feed Cycles A and D. Two outlets are given aliases next. The outlet named Frag_Lights is given the alias "Frag Tank Lights" enabling this phrase, "Alexa, tell Apex Fusion to turn on the Frag Tank Lights." Since Alexa is linked to Apex Fusion, and since "Frag Tank Lights" is linked to the outlet "Frag_Lights," the lights over the frag tank are turned on.

 

Let's say that I have two pumps on my skimmer and I want to turn both on or off on command. Let's also assume that these pumps are on separately controlled outlets called "SPump_1" and "SPump_2". To turn them both on and off, I could give each pump an alias, but then I'd have to tell Alexa to turn off each pump individually. Alternatively, I can define a virtual outlet - let's call it SPumps - and make each SPump (1 & 2) conditional on SPumps and then link SPumps to the alias, "Skimmer Pumps." BNow, I can just say, "Alexa, tell Apex Fusion to turn off the Skimmer Pumps" and both pumps will go off. When I want to turn them on again, I can just say, "Alexa, tell Apex Fusion to turn on the Skimmer Pumps" and they'll turn on again.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Tom,'

Tried it and it is not working for me. I was able to customize my "status report" and that is working fine. Here is what i have done.

I have created two aliases for my outlets, ReturnPump and Skimmer_6_3.

I will then ask Alexa  to ask AF to turn off Return pump. The lights on Alexa would come on but nothing happens. Its like she does not know what i am asking or is just  plane ignoring me. Not good for my ego :)

715023777_ScreenShot2019-01-03at5_19_47PM.thumb.png.0749aa259e6477b6f4e3a988740994e7.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is your Apex firmware up to date? (Not sure if this is the problem or not.) 

 

You can get the status report though, right? (You've not renamed Alexa (to Computer, Echo, or Amazon)? Ha.)

 

If you tell Alexa to tell Apex Fusion to turn off Return Pump, does the Apex Fusion status screen show the return pump turning off? 

 

Just as a double check, can you turn devices on and off from the Apex Fusion screen?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, Apex firmware is up to date

Yes, I can get a status report using Alexa

I can also get her to turn on Feed mode.

When i ask her to tell apex to turn off Return pump, the light on alexa is on but nothing happens, then it times out.

I almost feel as thought she does not understand me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm pretty sure that the feed modes are also default. So it's like you're not saying something quite right. What exactly are you saying?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on the aliases i have set up,

Alexa, ask Apex fusion to turn off Return Punp (Skimmer)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you tried speaking slowly and clearly? I just tried several times on mine and, when I spoke more quickly (chaining words together), the Alexa device jus sat there with it's light on, like it was waiting for more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, menglish said:

I will try again

 

OK. If you need help, give me a call. I was able to trigger my parents' Alexa device over the speakerphone this Tuesday.... :biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...