Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

Amazon plays nice with third-party devs, which could mean more Alexa than ever

By

Alexa-Mayo Clinic
Image used with permission by copyright holder
If there’s one thing Amazon’s Alexa is really good at, it’s listening. And now, Amazon wants to make that skill available to others, too. On Thursday, the Seattle-based company announced that it would be making its high-performance far-field microphone array and voice processing technology available to hardware makers who want to build the Alexa experience into their products. That means that one day soon, you won’t have to buy an Echo or an Echo Dot in order to chat with your favorite AI assistant.

“Since the introduction of Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, device makers have been asking us to provide the technology and tools to enable a far-field Alexa experience for their products,” said Priya Abani, director of Amazon Alexa. “With this new reference solution, developers can design products with the same unique 7-mic circular array, beam-forming technology, and voice processing software that have made Amazon Echo so popular with customers. It’s never been easier for device makers to integrate Alexa and offer their customers world-class voice experiences.”

Recommended Videos

Not only will the availability of this technology make things easier, it will make them significantly more cost-effective as well. No more cobbling together spare parts or looking for a hacked solution — rather, Amazon is handing over the veritable keys to the castle.

Included in the hardware solution will be the 7-microphone array identical to the one found in Amazon Echo; Amazon’s proprietary software for wake word recognition, beam-forming, noise reduction, and echo cancellation; and reference client software for local device control and communication with the Alexa Voice Service.

Key to the expansion of Alexa’s abilities is the NXP reference platform from NXP Semiconductors. The reference platform is responsible for integrating Amazon’s far-field voice recognition technology and the Alexa Voice Service. Indeed, NXP is the first company to release a complete platform for Alexa, and the company’s i.MX applications processors promise the capacity to meet different requirements for different designs within the Internet of Things (IoT). 

“Integrating high quality audio processing has made the development of advanced voice-enabled devices lengthy and complicated,” said Geoff Lees, senior vice president and general manager of microcontrollers at NXP. “NXP’s reference platform for Amazon Alexa is the definitive solution to this problem. This reference design integrates Amazon’s proven far-field voice recognition technology and our popular i.MX development platform to enable the creation of high-performance voice-enabled devices with Alexa and reduce time to market.”

But be warned, not just anyone will be able to get their hands on this equipment. Rather, Amazon noted, the hardware will be made available to commercial device makers only through an exclusive invitational program — that is, for the time being. You can, however, visit Amazon’s developer site to request an invite, and perhaps brush up on your knowledge about the reference solutions that are already available for makers hoping to bring Alexa into their products.

Article updated on 4-14-2017: Added news of NXP’s contribution to the expansion of Alexa for third-party developers. 

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lulu Chang
Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Are robotic pool cleaners worth it?
The Airper Seagull SE robotic pool cleaner at the bottom of a swimming pool.

The worst part of owning a swimming pool is taking care of it From filter maintenance and skimming debris from the surface to managing chemicals and more, you'll likely find yourself hanging out around the water more often than you're actually in the water. Robotic pool cleaners are designed to alleviate this pinch point of pool ownership by giving you back your time and automating most of your tasks.

But are robotic pool cleaners worth it, or are they a gimmick that still require heaps of manual input? Here's a closer look to help you decide if one would be a good addition to your backyard.
Budget-friendly devices are often a hassle

Read more
Best Buy cut this air fryer’s price in half, down to just $25
The Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer near food.

If you want your food crispy all over without having to deal with draining a ton of oil, your best bet is to use an air fryer. They're never too expensive and there are always great air fryer deals going on, but you'll rarely find one with a price like this. Right now, the Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Analog Air Fryer is half off, moving its price from $50 to $25. To pick yours up today all you need to do is tap the button below. If you're interested in our take, however, be sure to keep reading.

Why you should buy the Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer
The Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer holds up to about 2.5 pounds of food, heats up to 400 degrees, and has easily-removable dishwasher-safe parts. If you notice it is "analog" that is because it has a 60 minute shut off timer to give you peace of mind and an easy way to time your cooking. Of course, this means there aren't a ton of digital options, buttons, and settings. However, this can be a plus for some and possibly you. Not every item in the home needs to be "smart" and less can certainly feel like more.

Read more
Revolution Cooking’s high-speed smart toaster is $100 off today
Someone using the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster in the kitchen.

If you're thinking about getting a new toaster for your kitchen, why not go with a high-speed smart toaster? Best Buy is currently selling the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster with a $100 discount, slashing its price to $250 from $350 originally. There's no telling how much time is remaining before this offer expires though, so if you're interested, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase right now in order to secure the savings.

Why you should buy the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster
Are smart kitchen gadgets worth it? The answer is a resounding yes, and the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster will show you why. With this kitchen device, you'll no longer suffer from burnt or uneven toasts as it's powered by the brand's InstaGLO heating system. The technology will start toasting your bread in just two seconds without any need for preheating. You'll get bread that's crunchy outside and moist inside every single time, which is a huge upgrade over the inconsistencies of traditional toasters.

Read more