Skill name: IFTTT-integration
User story:
DISCLAIMER: I know privacy advocates can make a great fuss on this skill because it will use third party services, but it can help mycroft to reach even more user base, as IFTTT is a great tool used by tens of thousands of users already with Google Voice or Alexa, so migrating to Mycroft can be as easy as plug the Mark and ready to rock
As a home user, I would like to easily integrate mycroft with my smart devices ecosystem without coding. IFTTT has a ever-growing devices and services support so I can easily say commands trough mycroft, and send them to IFTTT and it will trigger the action.
Again, as a home user who don’t know how to code a skill for my (let’s say for example) 10$ infrared control which is supported via IFTTT I need no wait a developer to buy my infrared control and wait the proper translation to my language. So migrating from Alexa|Google to Mycroft will be painless as I’m usign my IR already through IFTTT.
Finally, as a home user, I don’t need to rummage with complex hubs like home assistant, openhab or homeseer, as they are intended for geeky folks, or people who has the time and wants to spend time configuring them, and not to create simple “receipts” on IFTTT.
What third party services, data sets or platforms will the Skill interact with?
It will need to interact with IFTTT API. Which is quite good documented.
Are there similar Mycroft Skills already?
No
What will the user Speak to trigger the Skill?
It should be let to the user.
But here there are some cool examples:
- Set my air conditioner to 25 celsius degrees
- Change TV channel to HBO
- Open the garage door
- Notify me when my Uber is arriving
- Help me find my phone
- Ask roomba to vacuum the floor
…
And a huge list of combinations. Obviously, to identify IFTTT triggers from “native” mycroft skills, the user should start the sentence (or finish it) with something like: - if this then that, set my air conditioner to 25 celsius degrees
- Change TV channel to HBO through if this the that
and so on, so a native mycroft skill would be always better, but at least, we can take benefit from all our smart hardware.
What phrases will Mycroft Speak?
- Setting on your air conditioner to 25 celsius degrees through if this then that
- Channel changed to HBO through if this then that
…
What Skill Settings will this Skill need to store?
- Credentials to the IFTTT site
- Keywords recorded through STT to create a trigger word and send it to IFTTT
Other comments?
I know this has been discussed on the forums before, but I really don’t get the point to make an effort to make Mycroft compatible with this service. The benefits are far more than the counterpart, and it can give time to developers to create a proper skill marketplace without sacrifying the functionalities other assistants have. We’re on a race against commercial assistants and any help should be welcome.