Book excerpt: Get up and running with the fundamentals of Amazon Alexa and build exciting IoT projects Key Features Gain hands-on experience of working with Amazon Echo and Alexa Build exciting IoT projects using Amazon Echo Learn about voice-enabled smart devices Book Description Amazon 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 Programming concepts 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 learn Understand how Amazon Echo is already being used in various domains Discover how an Alexa Skill is architected Get a clear understanding of how some of the most popular Alexa Skills work Design Alexa Skills for specific purposes and interact with Amazon Echo to execute them Gain experience of programming for Amazon Echo Explore future applications of Amazon Echo and other voice-activated devices Who this book is for Alexa 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.