Step 6: Control the Smart Light
Use the following steps to add an LED to your Alexa Connect Kit (ACK) development board. After, you use the Alexa app to control the smart light.
Step 6.1: Connect the LED to the development board
You can use the Arduino header labels as a visual guide to connect the LED to your development board.
To connect the LED to the development board
Connect the LED long pin (+) into header 8, and then connect the LED short pin (-) into header 14 (GND), as shown in the following image.
Step 6.2: Use the Alexa app to control your development device
When you say "Alexa, turn on development device" or tap the power button in the Alexa app GUI, Alexa sends an Alexa.PowerController TurnOn directive. The ACK managed service handles the directive and sends it to the ACK module, which processes it and then sends it to the Arduino Zero over UART. The ACK Device SDK implementation core and the ACKUser_OnPowerControllerDirective event handler and logic in the smart light sample application enable the LED to be toggled on and off.
To use the Alexa app to control your development device
-
Open the Alexa app and then verify that you're signed into the same Amazon developer account that you used to access the ACK console.
Note: The first time you use the Alexa app with this account, you must answer a few questions before you reach the home screen. If you're prompted to connect an Amazon Echo device, you can skip that step. - Navigate to the Devices section of the Alexa app.
- From the list of devices, select Development Device.
- Use the Alexa app to control your development device with your voice by stating the following utterances:
Alexa, turn on development device.
Alexa, turn off development device.
Alternatively, turn the light on and off by tapping the Alexa app Power on/ Power off button, as shown in the following image:
Step 6.3: Use an Alexa-enabled device to control your development device
After you register your device in the Alexa app, you can use an Alexa-enabled device, such as an Amazon Echo Spot or Amazon Echo, to control your device. Use the same utterances as shown in the previous section.
Next steps
- Complete the steps in Prototype Your Product.
- If you're a commercial manufacturer that would like to move forward with a project, contact us about your project.
Last updated: Nov 27, 2023