How to integrate a specific thing in SmartThings and Alexa

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
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Hello everyone,

I’m new to all this and just starting out with my smart home setup. I have a SmartThings Hub 2nd Generation, an Amazon Echo Dot, and an Aeotec ZW100 Multisensor 6. I also have an IFTTT account setup with the SmartThings and Amazon Alexa services authorized. I have that particular sensor located in my attic at the moment. I created a group/room called Attic in the SmartThings panel and placed the sensor in there. My question is this…

Is there a way I can say “Alexa, what’s the temperature in the attic?” and get a reading or response? Is there some routine or IFTTT applet to accomplish this?

Thanks so much for any help.

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This is a whopper of an install but once you get it up and running then this is what you are looking for. There are many components to this and it’s considered a moderate to advance setup. But hey, throw you in the deep end and we can all help you “not drown”! Good Luck!

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Hmmm, this is gonna be fun, lol. Thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction, I really appreciate it. I’m going in!

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Houston, we have lift off!

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If you can wait a few weeks I know that Echosistant 5.0 will be released which will make the initial configuration much easier. @bamarayne may be able to fill you in more.

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We do not have a release date yet… So, I say go for it! Many hundreds of others have succeeded and were here to help you if you need it.

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I’m already started… about this Amazon Lambda and the Free Tier plan… have you guys had to pay anything so far? Do you wind up paying something after the 1 year mark?

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Nvm, I got to that part in the instructions where it says it’s highly unlikely to get charged much if at all. I’ll keep quite till I’m done, lol.

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Ok, I think I have everything pretty much done at least to the point to test a little. I just have a few questions and also some trouble. I stopped at the “Profile, Messaging and Control - Break Down” section in the install instructions.

  1. First question, I’m still a little unclear about Profiles in the EchoSistant. What kind of profiles are we talking about, like Home, Away, Daytime, Nighttime, etc. What do you guys have setup in there?

  2. Names of devices and rooms. This probably isn’t a question directly related to EchoSistant, maybe more generally about SmartThings itself. So let’s say my end goal would be to use phrases like this:

“Alexa, ask the house what is the temperature in the attic?” or “Alexa, ask the house is there movement in the master bedroom?”

These Aeotec Multisensor 6’s that I have, should I be naming the device itself Attic, Master Bedroom, Living Room, etc? Right now, for example, I have the one in the attic called Attic MultiSensor. I probably shouldn’t if I want to keep the language fluid when asking questions, right? Or does it matter, like if I keep that named the way it is and make sure to locate in a room named Attic?

3 . I’m trying the device simulator in the Amazon Developer console under the EchoSistant - Main Intent skill. I’m at work so I can’t try it directly on my Echo Dot which is at home. This is the question I am asking:

Question: "Alexa, ask the house what is the temperature of the Attic MultiSensor?"
Answer: "I couldn’t quite get that, but attic multisensor has 7 capabilities. Would you like to hear more about this device?"
My Reply: "Yes"
Answer: “The temperature is 77.2 degrees, humidity is 68, battery level is 100 percent, motion is inactive, , would you like anything else?”

So it’s reaching the device and it’s sensor values, but how do I get a more direct response?

I’m very excited about all this, btw. This is really awesome so far…

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I answered #2 & #3 kinda. I renamed that Attic MultiSensor to just Attic. I also made sure it was in the room/group called Attic. Now when I ask:

Question: "Alexa, ask the house what is the temperature in the attic?"
Answer: “The temperature in the attic is 77 degrees and was recorded today at 02:14 PM , would you like anything else”

YEEESSSSSSSS!!!

But if I ask:

Question: "Alexa, ask the house what is the humidity in the attic?"
Answer: “Sorry, I heard that you were looking for feedback on a device named attic but Echosistant wasn’t able to help, would you like to try again?”

Dammit.

Question: "Alexa, ask the house is there motion in the attic?"
Answer: “I couldn’t quite get that, but attic has 7 capabilities. Would you like to hear more about this device?”

Question: "Alexa, ask the house is there motion in attic?"
Answer: “no, the Attic is not motion”

Seems like the “the” is not a problem for temperature but it is for motion. Humidity won’t work at all, though. I’m feeling like this is more a problem in some code that it is something I can fix myself, right?

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Better for you to head on over to the Echosistant Section. Plenty of people there willing to jump all over this. @bamarayne

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I’m glad you got some of that figured out. Great job on the renaming as well.

I do not have any of these devices… So I’m not sure… But so this…

Select the attic device in motion sensors, humidity sensors, all of them…

You can select a device in multiple locations without a problem.

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I think rontalley is right and I should post in the Echosistant Section. Look for me there on this last issue.

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