Alexa_conversation_voice_control

Package that allows communication between ROS and Alexa, implementing two different communication channels:

• User → ROS: through a custom Alexa Conversation Skill that communicates with a local server in azure functions.
• ROS → User: using unsolicited Text-To-Speech of Node-RED block that use Alexa-API

Requirements

• Ubuntu 20.04+
• Python 3.10+
• ROS Noetic+
• ROS-Bridge
• Azure 4.0+
• Node-RED
• ngrok
• ask-sdk

Installation

Prerequisites

• Install ROS Noetic: Ubuntu Guide

    sudo apt install ros-noetic-desktop-full
  

• Install rosbridge suite:

    sudo apt-get install ros-noetic-rosbridge-server
  

• Install miniconda: Official Guide

• Create a conda environment with openssl=3.0.9:

    conda create --name alexa_env python=3.10 openssl=3.0.9
  

• Install dependencies in requirements.txt:

    pip install -r requirements.txt
  

Microsoft Azure

• Install curl if not already installed:

    sudo apt install curl
  

• Install the Microsoft signing key:

    curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > microsoft.gpg
    sudo mv microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/microsoft.gpg
  
    sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/microsoft-ubuntu-$(lsb_release -cs)-prod $(lsb_release -cs) main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dotnetdev.list'
  

• Check /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dotnetdev.list for the correct distribution name. For example, if you are using Ubuntu 20.04, the distribution name is focal.

        Linux Distribution      Version
        Debian 11               bullseye
        Debian 10               buster
        Debian 9                stretch
        Ubuntu 20.04            focal
        Ubuntu 19.04            disco
        Ubuntu 18.10            cosmic
        Ubuntu 18.04            bionic
        Ubuntu 17.04            zesty
        Ubuntu 16.04            xenial
  

• Install the Azure SDK:

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get install azure-functions-core-tools-4
  

ask-sdk-core e webservice

• install ask-sdk-core e webservice:

    npm install --save ask-sdk
    pip install ask-sdk-webservice-support
    pip install ask-sdk-core
  

Node RED

• To install Node-RED you can use the npm command that comes with node.js:

    sudo apt-get install npm
    sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red
  

• in Node RED → manage palet → install:

  • ROS → Node RED:

    node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel
    

  • Node RED → Alexa:

    node-red-contrib-ros
    

• You can install the Node-RED packages also using npm:

    npm install node-red-contrib-ros
    npm install node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel
  

Ngrok

sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
sudo snap install ngrok

Configuration

node-red-contrib-ros

• in sub/pub node → ROS SERVER → add new ROS server:

    url: ws://localhost:9091/
    Topic: name_topic
  

node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel

• Alexa initialize node → Account → Add new Alexa Account:

  • Global Config:

    Name: Name
    Auth Method: Proxy
    This IP: IP_ADDRESS
    Port : 3456
    File Path : AuthFile
    

  • For Italian language:

    Service Host: alexa.amazon.it
    Page:amazon.it
    Language: it-IT
    

  • For English language:

    Service Host: alexa.amazon.com
    Page:amazon.com
    Language: en-US
    

• Option → initialize

Azure

• To create a New Project and a Skill Template run the following commands:

    func init MyFunctionProj
    cd MyFunctionProj
    func new --template "Http Trigger" --name MySkill
  

• Edit local.settings.json by adding your AlexaSkillID:

    {
        "IsEncrypted": false,
        "Values": {
        "FUNCTIONS_WORKER_RUNTIME": "python",
        "AzureWebJobsStorage": "",
        "AlexaSkillID": "amzn1.ask.skill.96421c1e-fb2b-44eb-80a3-f9097c146ffd",
        "UpdatesURL": "https://azure.microsoft.com/updates/feed/"
        }
    }
  

• Azure extension for VSCode:

  Launch VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P), paste the following command, and press enter:

  ext install ms-azuretools.vscode-azurefunctions
  

Running

• Launch skill_backend_launcher:

    roslaunch alexa_conversation skill_backend.launch
  

• Run Azure Functions locally:

    cd ../AzureFunction
    func start
  

• Change Skill Endpoint in Developer Console with the one given by ngrok adding /api/"SkillName" at the end:

    https://2c13-151-38-117-194.eu.ngrok.io/api/SkillBackend