Set Time For Wake Up routine when the time might change from day to day?

SmartApps & Automations Automation Ideas
1

Hello,

I am completely new to home automation and wanted to start with a wake-up routine.
My idea is to use a physical dimmer which I also can access via SmartThings.

At a given time, the lights should start getting brighter and brighter (from 0 - 100%) over a time of 30 minutes and music should start playing while getting increasingly louder.

I think I could do that but the issue is how I can schedule it because I need to get up every day at a different time.

What is the most elegant way to schedule a routine like that?

The requirement is that my girlfriend and I both can set this “alarm”. She uses iOS, I use Android.
Therefore I thought about Alexa which we both could voice control.
After googling how I can set an alarm with Alexa I only found hacky solutions.
Other options that came into my mind were to access a regular alarm set on our phones and 30 minutes prior to the alarm to start the routine. I am not sure whether that works on iOS as well. Maybe the alternative is also to write a small Web App that accesses SmartThings via API? Or is there an entirely different approach?

What way would you recommend?

Thanks
Clemens

2
  1. Create a virtual Switch and make sure it’s visible in Alexa.
  2. Set a routine or automation to do whatever you want, make sure it works the way you want it. (I’d personally use WebCore for what you’re talking about but it could be done with a chained series of automations and scenes.
  3. Set an automation to start the automation whenever the virtual switch is enabled, then turn off the virtual switch.
  4. go into Alexa, create a routine that when an alarm is dismissed, turn on your virtual switch from step 1
3

If you use google or office 365 calendar you can do some cool stuff through IFTTT to ST.
If you’re game for a challenge for far more flexibility there is nodered w/ the iCal and ST plugins

1 Like
4

Thanks for the suggestion.
“Alarm dismissed” means if one does not react to the alarm?
Is there also a way with a graphical interface (UI) where I could replate an alarm for every weekday or so?
The functionality like the classical alarm clock apps where you create multiple alarms would be cool to have.

Thanks!

5

Alarm dismissed means when you respond to Alexa. You would say something like “Alexa, cancel” or “Alexa, dismiss” when the alarm fires.

Then you’ll setup your alarms as normal in the Alexa app. If you change it you dont have ti modify SmartThings or your automation on that side.

The kink is this event would fire ANYTIME you dismiss an alarm. So if someone setup an Alexa alarm at 3p for a nap
 Well its triggered when you dismiss that one too. Thats why i use Webcore for stuff like this so if it is triggered at a time i wouldn’t expect to, i can ignore it and filter the ‘noise’

6

Thanks for the info.
I am actually trying to start the routine BEFORE I wake up.
The light should get brighter and brighter and a song should fade in so that I wake up in the end.
Is there a way to achieve that?

7

yes, inside classic app, automation, add a smartApps , lights and switches, gentle wake up. Then start the program with another timer

8

Op wants it to happen on a dynamic schedule. Gentle wake up would need to be reconfigured every time Op wanted to change the alarm. If that’s ok - then sure it’s an option.

@clmsvie The only way to do that would be a LOT of complex automation that isn’t probably worth it at this point (AND still be easy for you and your partner to use) Otherwise, you’re talking about something like the smartapp @Zmarc suggests.

9

So far it sounds like I need to code an app for that :stuck_out_tongue:

Alternatively, is there a way to schedule an Alexa routine by saying something like “Alexa, routine-name at 7am”?

10

Have you managed to make this work somehow?