ACK SDK benefits
The ACK SDK enables you to build smart devices, such as smart plugs, light bulbs, or fans, and adds the following benefits to ACK:- Product-tailored hardware – Provides a flexible hardware architecture that helps you select connectivity and peripheral components tailored to your product’s operation.
- Optimize costs – Lowers your bill of materials (BOM) cost by removing the need for a host microcontroller unit (HMCU) and enabling a single-chip design.
ACK SDK architecture overview
The following diagram shows a high-level architectural overview of the ACK SDK.
ACK SDK high-level architectural diagram
- ACK APIs – APIs to implement ACK directives and callbacks for smart device behavior.
- ACS components – A suite of memory-efficient, portable, and security-audited Amazon Common Software (ACS) components necessary to build your device, including connectivity.
- Device Porting Kit (DPK) APIs – Abstracts the underlying hardware and operating system to enable portability.
- Test suites – Multi-tier test suites to localize defects in device software.
Differences between the ACK SDK and module solutions
Before you build your device, understand the differences between the ACK SDK and the ACK module solutions. The following architectural diagrams show the ACK module and the ACK SDK. The ACK SDK is a single-chip solution, distributed as source code, that you integrate your device app into. This design lowers your overall product cost.
ACK module architecture compared to the ACK SDK architecture
Prerequisites
The ACK SDK primarily targets solution providers (SPs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs). Before you start building your ACK SDK-based product, complete the following tasks:-
To sign up for ACK, apply for an ACK project. Amazon assigns an ACK support engineer to your project. Include the following information in your request.
- State whether your product is a prototype or intended for public launch.
- Specify your default region: North America (NA), Europe (EU), or Far East (FE).
- If you support more than one region, specify the fallback region.
- Select and purchase an ACK SDK development kit for prototyping.
- Create an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account. The AWS account gives you access to resources as part of the free tier of services.
- Contact your ACK support engineer to create your project and give you access to the ACK SDK software.
Steps to build an ACK SDK product
To build ACK SDK-based products, complete the following steps to develop and test a virtual product (prototype) and manufacture a production product.- Set up your development environment with the silicon vendor-provided tools, as instructed in the provided documentation.
- Download the ACK SDK from the Amazon S3 bucket. Amazon distributes the SDK as source code with example apps and additional development and manufacturing tools.
Download any additional platform-specific packages from the silicon vendor website. - Develop device apps by using the ACK SDK APIs and adding Alexa capabilities that reflect the desired functionality of your device. Compile your source code with the ACK SDK.
- Create a virtual product.
- Flash the compiled firmware to your device and provision the device as your virtual product.
- Register your device with the Alexa app for device control and test your device with voice on Amazon Echo devices and on the Alexa app.
- Certify your product with certification programs, such as Works with Alexa and Frustration-Free Setup.
- Manufacture your device.
- Launch your ACK-based product for sale.
- Identify and resolve product issues with operational metrics and logs.
