Smart Home Security Overview
You can use the Alexa APIs to create Alexa skills that control smart home security devices such as cameras, locks, motion sensors, and other devices. You create smart home security skills the same way you create any other smart home skill. For more information, see Understand the Smart Home Skill API and Steps to Build a Smart Home Skill.
You can build an Alexa skill for cloud-enabled cameras that stream video and audio using Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) or the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). We recommend that you use WebRTC whenever possible. If you want to support 2-way communication, you must use Alexa.RTCSessionController.
The Smart Home Skill API follows the OAuth2.0 specification. Every request sent from the Smart Home Skill API to a smart home skill contains an OAuth access token in the request to enable access to the customer's device cloud. The device cloud must support the authorization code grant flow type. For more information, see Account Linking for Smart Home and Other Domains.
Utterances
When you use the Alexa interfaces to build smart home skills, the voice interaction model is already built for you. The following examples show some user utterances:
Alexa, talk to my front door camera.
Alexa, lock my front door.
Alexa, arm my home in away mode.
Alexa interfaces for smart home security skills
The following are the Alexa interfaces that you can use to build smart home security skills.
- Alexa.CameraStreamController
- Implement the
CameraStreamControllerinterface so that users can view the feed from their security cameras. - Alexa.ContactSensor
- Implement the
ContactSensorinterface for devices that detect contact between two surfaces. - Alexa.DoorbellEventSource
- The
DoorbellEventSourceinterface describes a device that is capable of raising doorbell events. - Alexa.EventDetectionSensor
- Implement the
EventDetectionSensorinterface so that you can notify Alexa when your security camera devices detect the presence of a person. - Alexa.LockController
- Implement the
LockControllerinterface so that users can lock and unlock their lockable devices. - Alexa.MediaMetadata
- Implement the
MediaMetadatainterface to manage media recordings from security cameras, and so that customers can view past recordings. - Alexa.MotionSensor
- Implement the
MotionSensorinterface for devices that sense physical movement in an area. - Alexa.RTCSessionController
- Implement the
RTCSessionControllerinterface for devices capable of real-time communication (RTC), so that users can communicate remotely with their devices. - Alexa.SecurityPanelController
- Implement the
SecurityPanelControllerinterface so that users can arm and disarm security systems, and so that you can report alarm conditions to your users.
Works with Alexa Guidelines
Works with Alexa (WWA) is a certification program that raises the bar on responsiveness, reliability, and functionality, ensuring your customers have the best smart home experiences. When your products are certified, they can carry the Works with Alexa badge in the Amazon Smart Home Store and on product packaging. For more details, see WWA skills
