Yandex Alice smart home, device, setup, how it works and features, how to connect, control, compatibility with other devices

The Yandex company presented an individual project – Alice smart home with the ability to control voice or a special application.

The system is compatible with dozens of different devices from Redmond, Philips, Samsung and others.

In addition, Yandex presented a number of products of its own production – a smart light bulb, a socket, a remote control and a TV set-top box. The platform has a cloud structure, does not require the connection of a controller or a hub.

Yandex claims that the list of partners will increase. Over time, the smart home will be compatible with appliances from all major manufacturers.

In this article, we will consider what are the features of the system, how it works, and what to look for when connecting.

History of development

Smart Home Alice from Yandex is an open platform to which you can connect equipment from large manufacturers or developers involved in home automation.

The history of the development of such systems goes back to 1950, when an engineer from the USA, E. Matthias, introduced more than 2000 meters of wires into the walls of the house for convenient control of household appliances and electronics. Switching devices on and off was carried out using buttons.

A quarter of a century later, Pico Electronics proposed to take the electrical network of the house as a basis, using it to power devices and supply control signals.

The system was constantly improved, but for a long time humanity could not move away from the trend of introducing wires into walls.

The situation has changed with the advent of the wireless network and smartphones. If earlier, when creating a smart home, it was necessary to plan in advance the location of all elements of household appliances and electronics, now there was no need for this.

The role of the remote is played by a smartphone or tablet with a special application installed on it. Turning on and off any device can be done at a great distance.

But there is a nuance. Smart home elements made by different companies do not always interact with each other. For example, when using light bulbs from different companies, several commands are required, which creates inconvenience. There are difficulties with the choice of other elements for a smart home.

The second problem is control only with the help of software on a mobile phone. This approach has a number of disadvantages. One of them is to always have a smartphone at hand to perform any small actions (decrease / increase the volume of the TV, change the brightness of the lighting, etc.).

The process of finding a phone and setting the necessary settings takes a long time.

Importance of the Internet

Yandex Smart Home is an analogue of existing platforms from Google and Amazon. The advantages of the Russian development are the presence of the Russian language, which greatly simplifies the application process.

It is important to understand that the entire smart home system works over the Internet and WiFi. If there are problems with the global network and constant failures, it makes no sense to talk about the correct operation of the system.

Without a connection to the Network, Alice will not answer questions, and the Yandex application will not allow you to take any actions with connected devices.

The subtleties of creating a smart home Alice from Yandex

Yandex says that they have been developing a voice assistant for more than five years. Previously, smart home control was available through certain devices, for example, Yandex.Station.

Now anyone, regardless of age and gender, can command Alice to do something. The order is executed immediately. In this case, you do not need to think about the compatibility of devices.

Smart home developers considered two ways:

1. Agree on the compatibility of equipment from different manufacturers and the Yandex cloud. It was a difficult path, because for the smart home to work, you would have to make changes to all devices. Even if successful, there were a number of difficulties. For example, people could not connect existing equipment to Alice’s smart home. I would have to buy new equipment.
2. Make an open platform built on the principle of “cloud to cloud”. In this case, manufacturers of other equipment need to train their cloud to interact with the Yandex cloud. This option is simpler and allows you to support previously sold devices.

The developers of the smart home Alice did not try to replace the common hub of the creator of household appliances, did not set the task of changing the homebridge or limiting the introduction of new interfaces.

Yandex employees had a different task – to simplify the processes as much as possible.

System action algorithm:

• a person gives a command, for example, “Alice, turn on the light”;
• the Yandex cloud accepts the command and generates a request;
• the signal goes to the light bulb to be turned off.

If it is necessary to control devices of other brands, the algorithm is as follows:

• the user gives a command;
• the signal is sent to the Yandex cloud;
• after the command is recognized, it is sent to the hardware developer’s server;
• signal is sent to the device.

For the system to work, Alice must understand what devices are and how to interact with them. Equipment creators must publish a certain skill in the Dialog platform.

The description of the skill must describe the device as a platform, and also have an address for accessing the API Adapter.

Supported devices

So far, Yandex smart home works with a limited number of manufacturers. Among them:

• Samsung;
• Rubetec;
• Phillips;
• Xiaomi
• Redmond and others.

In the near future, it is planned to establish interaction with equipment from other brands, for example, Elari, Bosch, etc.

Together with the existing products, the Yandex smart home was replenished with the company’s own products – smart lamps, sockets and remote controls appeared.

Light bulbs can be turned on and off remotely. Power is supplied to or removed from the outlets.

The remote control allows you to control the equipment. A similar approach applies to other devices. The cost of Yandex equipment ranges from 1000 to 1400 rubles per unit.

One of the competitors in the market is Tricolor Smart Home.

Customization rules

To use Yandex smart home devices, you need an application with voice control Alice. It specifies a list of manufacturers supporting the platform.

After turning on the device, a person can control different devices using voice commands. In particular, Alice can turn the light on and off, decide on the color and mode of operation, adjust various settings, etc. The manual control option has also been preserved.

Yandex Smart Home is not limited to regular commands. Using the platform, you can give orders simultaneously to a group of devices.

For example, you can make a script when getting out of bed. The user says – “Alice, good morning”, and she puts on her favorite music, turns off the night light lamp and starts the electric kettle. In this case, the phrase and actions are set independently.

Optionally, you can create groups and memorize rooms to further simplify the use of a smart home. For example, it is possible to combine several lamps with the possibility of sending a common command.

The application of Alice allows you to control the Yandex smart home from long distances. On the way home from work, a person can give a command to the air conditioner so that it turns on and cools the room to the desired temperature.

For the system to work, you need to prepare the devices. So, the air conditioner must be plugged in, the bulb screwed in, and the switch turned on, etc.

The application provides a device section where you can add different equipment. To control the equipment with the help of Alice, you need to transfer each unit of the smart home to the appropriate mode.

If the Redmond technique is used, it connects to the Ready for Sky software and then switches to connection mode. Next, in the smart home application, Yandex needs to find the mentioned program in the list and teach Alice how to work with this application.

After adding all the equipment, it is available for management.

More about the possibilities of smart home elements

Consider the capabilities of Redmond technology connected to the Yandex smart home and controlled with or without Alice.

Basic units of Redmond:

1. Control Center – controls equipment over a wireless network. This is not a mandatory unit, but if it is not available, you will have to use bluetooth and be in close proximity to the device. This technique does not connect to Alice.
2. Kettle. Alice can turn the device on and off. Other options (heating to a specific temperature, informing about the need to change water) are not available.
3. Plinth. Smart home Yandex can turn on and off light bulbs at a great distance. Brightness change is not yet available. Through the Redmond application, the user can set a timer for the light bulb to work, but this option is not available in Alice. To control the light bulb, you need to screw it into the smart base, and then install it in the lamp. To set up a smart base, it will take a few clicks on the case to align with the Wi-Fi center and the bluetooth phone.
4. Sockets. Here the work is based on turning the power on and off. It is allowed to connect devices that work immediately after connecting to the network (fans, coffee makers, etc.). They can be connected to an extension cord in order to remove voltage from all devices with one command.

Sockets from Yandex and Redmond look different. The first one is large, and the button for settings is installed from the end.

At Redmond, this element is located on the front, so it is better to install such an outlet somewhere in an invisible part of the room. In the smart home application, it is better to name the outlet by the name of the connected device.

In addition to the socket, Yandex has released the following smart home devices:

1. Universal remote. It can only control TV and air conditioners. The remote control does not interact with other equipment yet. To control the TV, you need to study the list, select the TV manufacturer and decide on the appropriate remote control. For some TV models, several remotes may be suitable at once. The functionality of the remote control is limited. It allows you to change channels, turn the TV on and off, adjust the volume up or down. Orders are given with the help of Alice. To carry out other orders, you will need a regular remote control. Commanding Alice to turn on the TV on Smart or Apple will not work.
2. Bulb. At the moment, this element of a smart home is the most useful. The device can be turned on and off, change the brightness, glow temperature and color. Alice recognizes many commands, making it easy to control the light bulb. The brightest is the white glow. But you can set other colors – red, yellow, etc. All changes are set through the application settings or using Alice’s voice commands.
3. Yandex.Station. Yandex.Station deserves special attention, sales of which began only a year ago. It’s no secret that Alice appeared a long time ago and is already built into many devices (browser, navigator, etc.). But there he performs auxiliary functions. In the case of a smart home, Alice is the main element that provides control of the equipment. The initial setup takes place via a smartphone, but subsequently the speaker is controlled only by voice.

Yandex.Station combines the necessary services and allows them to work through the system account. This is no ordinary TV box. With it, you can control your TV, change channels and get help choosing a movie. It is useful when you want to listen to music, but there are problems with the choice.

Note that while Yandex smart home is at the stage of development. Over time, there will be more devices and functions that Alice will be able to handle.

More about scenarios

It was noted above that users can set scripts. It is about combining several commands into one group and creating certain scenarios. For example, after the command “Alice, I’m at work,” the socket is turned off, the lights and other equipment are turned off.

The phrase “Good morning” can be programmed to turn on the kettle or coffee maker. In other words, one order launches several processes, taking into account the programmed task.

To set up a scenario, you need to come up with a name for it, select a group of controlled devices and set their action. The hardest thing is to develop the right algorithms for different life situations.

Weaknesses of Yandex and Alice smart home

The main problem of the new system is the inability to share the Yandex smart home with other users. Household appliances can be controlled from a smartphone, but this function is available only to one user. The rest of the tenants will be able to give only Alice’s voice commands.

Access to adding scenarios and equipment is open only to one person. Yandex noted that they are aware of this shortcoming of a smart home and are trying to solve it.

The second point is the limited number of devices available for connection. System users can connect a limited number of appliances located in the house (if it interacts with the system). The remote control can only be used for air conditioning and TV.

The third point is the possibility of using Yandex smart home elements only with Alice. Other devices cannot be added to the scenario. Moreover, the company does not yet announce plans to expand compatibility with other systems.

How to set up the interaction of smart home Alice from Yandex and Xiaomi

Many users are afraid of difficulties connecting Alice to Xiaomi. These fears are unfounded, as the process is simple, albeit a bit confusing.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Install the Yandex or Yandex. Browser. Experts recommend the first option, because it works faster.
2. Open the side menu and select the section with devices.
3. In the new Smart Home section, click “+” to add a new device.
4. Select the required plugin (in the current situation it is Xiaomi).
5. Log in to the system. To do this, enter the username and password for the Mi account that is used in the Mi Home software.
6. Click the refresh list button.

If successful, many of the equipment will be displayed in the Yandex application, which will allow you to establish control through Alice.

Possible mistakes

Be prepared that you won’t be able to set up Yandex smart home the first time. Some users complain that when they try to enter devices, they encounter an error and a recommendation to try connecting later. The reason is the workload of servers in the first days of work.

The developers claim that in the future the problem will be fixed. If difficulties arise, experts recommend waiting a bit and making another attempt.

An equally important problem is the reflection of not all devices or their absence in the list after authorization in the Mi application.

One of the reasons is that devices are added to one account for a specific region (usually China), and when authorized, a person sets a different zone (for example, Europe).

Another feature of the application is that after entering the data, it will not be possible to make changes. In the case of unbinding services and secondary authorization, primary data is pulled up.

To solve the problem, take these steps:

• enter the Mi Home application, and then go to the Profile section;
• click on the avatar of your account;
• open the account section;
• find the Yandex section and confirm the fact of unlinking.

Upon completion of these steps, go through secondary authorization in the Yandex smart home application.

Available devices from Xiaomi

Today, with the help of Alice, you can control various products from Xiaomi – sockets, light bulbs, switches, humidifiers, robotic vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, etc.

The control panel is divided between the air conditioner and the socket. Thanks to this feature, the user can set the settings for climate technology, as well as turn it on and off.

Each device has a list of commands that provide voice activation of certain functions.

But not everything is so smooth. With the help of Alice and Yandex smart home, it will not be possible to control locks, cameras, intercoms and other Chinese products.

The application also does not see sensors, sensors and other products that work in conjunction with other systems.

Connecting Yandex and Alice smart home to Sonoff

Cheap Sonoff devices are in great demand, which are also compatible with Yandex smart home and are controlled by Alice.

This opportunity appeared thanks to the cooperation of the mentioned company with the Xiaomi brand. Relatively recently, the Mi Home application added an authorization section in the eWeLink account.

Theoretically, this innovation should lead to an increase in the number of Sonoff devices in the mentioned program, but so far the developers have been delaying the innovation.

At the same time, connecting to the Yandex program through Mi Home is quite accessible. To do this, you need to go through the following steps:

• enter the application and go to the Profile section;
• go to the point of other platform devices;
• select eWeLink (easy to recognize by the picture with hieroglyphs);
• Log in with your app account information.

After completing these steps, you can control Sonoff appliances using the Yandex and Alice smart home.

Experience of application

After setting up the equipment and connecting devices, the system works stably and causes only positive emotions. The user controls various elements remotely, generates scripts and sets commands.

The difficulty is that Yandex is a cloud service, so there are suspicions about the stability of work when Alice switches to local devices.

Xiaomi equipment is controlled through servers located in China. If you combine several devices, the signal path can be several thousand kilometers.

The interface of the Yandex smart home application is rather complicated, and the system itself is built on a browser with a web interface.

The user has two Back links. The first returns to the previous section, and the second returns to the web interface section. The advantage is that the software is used only when adding devices and making changes to scenarios.

Smart home Yandex and Alice make life easier and allow you to control many devices with your voice. Each user receives a specific environment with settings and scripts that can be used or modified.

So far, the system is “damp” and works with a small number of manufacturers. But this problem is being solved, so in the future Yandex smart home with voice control can take a leading position not only in Russia, but also in a number of other countries.