Amazon is taking a deeper dive into the growing ecosystem of smart home gizmos with the new availability of itsAlexa Gadgets Toolkit, which will enable both device manufacturers and smart home users with thedo-it-yourself touchto enable sounds, movements, and other actions that are triggered through Echo commands.
First of all, what’s an Alexa Gadget? This is the umbrella for the growing line of accessories that pair to compatible Echo devices via Bluetooth. Some examples Amazon says are coming soon include a variety of dancing plushanimatronicsand an updatedBig Mouth Billy Bassfrom Gemmy Industries.
The Alexa Gadgets Toolkit offers self-service APIs (application programming interfaces) that extend Alexa’s capabilities to trigger motors, lights, sound chips, and other device features. Early adopters of the new platform include Hasbro, WowWee, BabyPlus, and eKids (an affiliate of iHome). The toolkit, released as a beta rather than a full-fledged product, includes technical documentation and sample code that facilitate direct pairing and connectivity, communication and over-the-air updates between an Alexa Gadget and its paired Echo device.
The toolkit can also be used enable more than one Gadget Interface. Amazon says the list of currently available interfaces continues to grow but offers some examples — many of which seem to be intriguingly geared toward retail functions rather than home use.
Another shot across the retail market is expected to come from the company’s partnerships with companies that have been working on Alexa Gadgets for kids. Just a few forthcoming products include WowWee Group’s Brushbots (smart toothbrushes that encourage healthy habits), BabyPlus’ Waddles the Smart Duck, lending a hands-free helper to parents on the go, and Novalia’s Touchscapes, an interactive touch-sensitive table mat.
