'Azure Tech Facts' Alexa Custom Skill

Demonstration skill for post, Building Asynchronous, Serverless Alexa Skills with AWS Lambda, DynamoDB, S3, and Node.js. Explores the creation of an Alexa Custom Skill, using the latest Alexa Skills Kit, the AWS Serverless Platform, and Node.js.

About the Skill

Ask Alexa technical facts about Microsoft Azure, the cloud computing service created by Microsoft for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services through a global network of Microsoft-managed data centers. Current facts include Certifications, Cognitive Services, Competition, Compliance, Description, First Product, Geographies, Global Presence, Platforms, Product Categories, Products, Regions, Release Date.

Deployment and Testing

export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=<YOUR_AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID>
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=<YOUR_AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY>
ask init # create default profile
ask deploy --profile default

Create DynamoDB Table

aws dynamodb create-table \
  --table-name AzureFacts \
  --attribute-definitions \
    AttributeName=Fact,AttributeType=S \
  --key-schema AttributeName=Fact,KeyType=HASH \
  --provisioned-throughput ReadCapacityUnits=3,WriteCapacityUnits=3

Import data into DynamoDB

aws dynamodb batch-write-item \
  --request-items file://data/AzureFacts.json

Create S3 Bucket

aws s3api create-bucket \
  --bucket <your_bucket_name> \
  --region us-east-1

Simulate Skill

ask simulate \
  --text "Load Azure Tech Facts" \
  --locale "en-US" \
  --skill-id "<your_skill_id>" \
  --profile "default"

# run multiple tests
sh ./tests/tests.sh

Sample Invocations

One-Shot Invocation

• "Alexa, ask Azure Tech Facts for a random fact for Gary"
• "Alexa, ask Azure Tech Facts to tell Michele about global infrastructure"
• "Alexa, ask Azure Tech Facts about certifications for Shawn"

4-part Invocation

• "Alexa, load Azure Tech Facts"
• "Ask a question"
• "My name is Alice"
• "Tell me about certifications"

3-part Invocation

• "Alexa, ask Azure Tech Facts for a fact"
• "My name is Matt"
• "When was Azure released"

2-part Invocation

• "Alexa, ask Azure Tech Facts about Azure's Cognitive Services"
• "My name is Frank"

References

• https://developer.amazon.com/docs/smapi/skill-manifest.html
• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazondynamodb/latest/APIReference/API_UpdateItem.html
• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazondynamodb/latest/developerguide/GettingStarted.NodeJs.03.html#GettingStarted.NodeJs.03.04