Madhur Bhargava

Get up and running with the fundamentals of Amazon Alexa and build exciting IoT projectsKey Features Gain hands-on experience of working with Amazon Echo and Alexa Build exciting IoT projects using Amazon Echo Learn about voice-enabled smart devicesBook DescriptionAmazon Echo is a smart speaker developed by Amazon, which connects to Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service and is entirely controlled by voice commands. Amazon Echo is currently being used for a variety of purposes such as home automation, asking generic queries, and even ordering a cab or pizza.Alexa Skills Projects starts with a basic introduction to Amazon Alexa and Echo. You will then deep dive into Alexa Programmingconcepts such as Intents, Slots, Lambdas and maintaining your skill’s state using DynamoDB. You will get a clear understanding of how some of the most popular Alexa Skills work, and gain experience of working with real-world Amazon Echo applications. In the concluding chapters, you will explore the future of voice-enabled applications and their coverage with respect to the Internet of Things.By the end of the book, you will have learned to design Alexa Skills for specific purposes and interact with Amazon Echo to execute these skills.What you will learnUnderstand how Amazon Echo is already being used in various domainsDiscover how an Alexa Skill is architectedGet a clear understanding of how some of the most popular Alexa Skills workDesign Alexa Skills for specific purposes and interact with Amazon Echo to execute themGain experience of programming for Amazon EchoExplore future applications of Amazon Echo and other voice-activated devicesWho this book is forAlexa Skills Projects is for individuals who want to have a deep understanding of the underlying technology that drives Amazon Echo and Alexa, and how it can be integrated with the Internet of Things to develop hands-on projects.

Use the power of BLE to create exciting IoT applications About This Book • Build hands-on IoT projects using Bluetooth Low Energy and learn about Bluetooth 5 and its features. • Build a health tracking system, and indoor navigation and warehouse weather monitoring projects using smart devices. • Build on a theoretical foundation and create a practice-based understanding of Bluetooth Low Energy. Who This Book Is For If you're an application developer, a hardware enthusiast, or just curious about the Internet of Things and how to convert it into hands-on projects, then this book is for you. Having some knowledge of writing mobile applications will be advantageous. What You Will Learn • Learn about the architecture and IoT uses of BLE, and in which domains it is being used the most • Set up and learn about various development platforms (Android, iOS, Firebase, Raspberry Pi, Beacons, and GitHub) • Create an Explorer App (Android/iOS) to diagnose a Fitness Tracker • Design a Beacon with the Raspberry Pi and write an app to detect the Beacon • Write a mobile app to periodically poll the BLE tracking sensor • Compose an app to read data periodically from temperature and humidity sensors • Explore more applications of BLE with IoT • Design projects for both Android and iOS mobile platforms In Detail Bluetooth Low Energy, or Bluetooth Smart, is Wireless Personal Area networking aimed at smart devices and IoT applications. BLE has been increasingly adopted by application developers and IoT enthusiasts to establish connections between smart devices. This book initially covers all the required aspects of BLE, before you start working on IoT projects. In the initial stages of the book, you will learn about the basic aspects of Bluetooth Low Energy—such as discovering devices, services, and characteristics—that will be helpful for advanced-level projects. This book will guide you through building hands-on projects using BLE and IoT. These projects include tracking health data, using a mobile App, and making this data available for health practitioners; Indoor navigation; creating beacons using the Raspberry Pi; and warehouse weather Monitoring. This book also covers aspects of Bluetooth 5 (the latest release) and its effect on each of these projects. By the end of this book, you will have hands-on experience of using Bluetooth Low Energy to integrate with smart devices and IoT projects. Style and approach A practical guide that will help you promote yourself into an expert by building and exploring practical applications of Bluetooth Low Energy.