Essential Install | Voice Recognition
In February 2017,
Control4 announced
UK availability of
Amazon’s Smart
Home Skill
In 2016, Control4 announced voice control integration
with Amazon Alexa’s Smart Home Skill and in February of
this year announced UK availability of the Skill.
With Control4 and Alexa, homeowners can use
natural voice commands to control over 10,000
popular consumer electronic devices such as lighting,
audio, video, security and thermostats. Control4 voice
integration also allows homeowners to set scenes to
control multiple devices at once through a simple phrase
like ‘Alexa, turn off home’ that turns off all lighting, sets
the thermostat to a preferred temperature, and locks all
connected doors.
Brad Hintze, Control4’s senior director, product
marketing, says: “Because Control4 was one of the
fi rst home automation platforms to c ombine smart
home scenes with the convenience of Alexa far-fi eld
voice recognition, we have been at the forefront of
the movement and have been able to anticipate what
homeowners want to see next. At Control4, we see voice
control as the next big feature of a truly smart home.
“The difference between a phrase like ‘Alexa, turn
on kitchen’ and ‘Alexa, turn on X brand corner light’ is
immense when discussing a consumer’s ease-of-use and
activating multi-device scenes through a voice command
really elevates the smart home experience.”
Brad says Control4 believes that voice recognition
platforms will continue to evolve and grow in the space,
and it’s likely that many of these will look to compete with
Amazon and Google.
He adds: “As these platforms change, they will
need to find ways to differentiate themselves and
to engage consumers in the smart home. As more
consumers adopt smart home technology, they will
expect more refined control and product functionality.
It will no longer be enough to ask a voice recognition
platform to perform one-off tasks – consumers will
expect these platforms to become an inherent part of
everyday living.”
Crestron says the ability for clients to personalise their
homes has never felt more individual, with Amazon Alexa
connected to its home automation system.
Michael Short, Crestron’s residential marketing
manager, says that with Alexa, users’ voice alone has the
power to command the world around them. The program
shows the use of scenes, as well as some of Crestron’s
unique Alexa custom skills, such as ‘too cold’, ‘too warm’,
‘too bright’, or ‘too dark’.
Michael says that integrating with Amazon Alexa
enables Crestron to offer the next generation of market
leading home automation. Amazon Alexa, in-sync with
“ Alexa...
turn on Sky Q in lounge
”
July 2017 | 59