WARNING: OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS REMOTELY CAN BE DANGEROUS.
THE SAFEST WAY TO USE WAYZN WHEN AWAY FROM HOME IS TO FIRST CHECK THE AREA WITH A CAMERA BEFORE MANUALLY OPERATING WAYZN.
AUTOMATION IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR HOMES WITH POOLS, SMALL CHILDREN, SMALL PETS, OR YARDS THAT ARE NOT SECURE. PLEASE USE CAUTION AND CONSIDER THE RISKS BEFORE CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT ANY FORM OF AUTOMATION.
Contents:
Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill
Use a voice command to trigger a custom routine
Use a smart button to trigger a custom routine
Use a camera to automatically let the dog in
Use a schedule to open your door automatically
______________________________________
Connecting Wayzn with Alexa
By connecting Wayzn with Alexa you can use voice commands to operate your door, or use a camera or sensor to automatically let the dog in. Alexa commands are only recognized when your Wayzn device is in 'Home' mode.
Before you begin, be sure you already have an Amazon account and have used it to enable at least one Alexa device in your home. Be sure to enable voice recognition and take other security measures within the Alexa app which are appropriate for your situation. Then follow these steps to connect your Wayzn to Alexa.
Please note, in order to connect your Wayzn with Alexa:
- You must have the Wayzn mobile app version 3.72 or higher
- You must be the primary user (not an "additional user" added with a QR code)
Step 1
In the Wayzn app on the home page select the Wayzn device you wish to connect to Alexa. Once on the device page, use the ellipsis in the upper right corner to access the menu, then select Connected Devices.
Step 2
Select Add Devices, then select Alexa Voice Assistant.
Step 3
Click the Login with Amazon button and follow the prompts to sign in to your Amazon account. Be sure to use the Amazon account that you use for Alexa in your home.
Step 4
Click the Continue button to complete the first part of the connection process. (Note: this step is required to make your Wayzn device visible in your Alexa app.)
Step 5
In the Alexa app click More on the bottom bar, then select Skills & Games.
Step 6
Use the magnifying glass in the upper right to start a search on skills and type "Wayzn" then click Search.
Step 7
When the Wayzn Automatic Sliding Door skill appears, click to select it.
Step 8
The skill page will open and you will be prompted to enable the skill for your account. To proceed, click the ENABLE TO USE button.
Step 9
You will be prompted to sign in to your Amazon account to link it with your Wayzn account. Enter your credentials and click Sign-In to continue.
Step 10
When you see the message "Wayzn Automatic Sliding Door has been successfully linked" click the "X" in the upper right corner to continue.
Step 11
Next, you will be taken to the Discover Devices page. Click the Discover Devices button at bottom. You will need to wait a minute while Alexa looks around for newly enabled devices in your home.
(Note: You can also search for Wayzn devices by clicking Devices in the main Alexa menu and selecting All Devices then clicking the + icon, then Add Device, then Other.)
Step 12
When prompted, click Set up Device. You have the option of adding your Wayzn to a device group in Alexa, or you can skip this step. On the final page click Done to complete the integration process.
Be sure your Wayzn app is set to Home mode, then test the integration by saying "Alexa, open the sliding door", and "Alexa close the sliding door."
At this point you can create Alexa routines that will allow you to use custom voice commands to open then close, or a connected camera to operate your Wayzn.
______________________________________
Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill
Once you have completed the process of Connecting Wayzn with Alexa, you can create Alexa routines if desired. No routine is needed to give Alexa the "Alexa, open the sliding door" or "Alexa, close the sliding door" commands. But, if you prefer, you can create a custom routine to open then close the door after a short pause. Custom routines can be triggered by:
- A voice command using a phrase of your choice
- The time of day, based on a fixed schedule
- A compatible camera with a motion detection
- A compatible smart button
Step 1
In the Alexa app click More on the bottom bar, then select Routines.
Step 2
Click the + icon in the upper right, then click the + icon next to "Enter routine name", give your routine a name and click Next in the upper right.
Step 3
Click the + icon next to "When this happens" to create a trigger. Configure your trigger according to the steps given in the remaining sections of this page based on the type of trigger you want to use. Then return here to continue with Step 4.
- Use a voice command to trigger a custom routine
- Use a smart button to trigger a custom routine
- Use a camera to automatically let the dog in
- Use a schedule to open your door automatically
Step 4
If you are using a camera as the trigger, you may optionally set a time window during which the routine will be active. This can be used to prevent the door from opening at night, for example. If you wish to set a schedule for your routine, click Change next to "Anytime," then select the days and times you want it to be active before clicking Next in the upper right.
Step 5
Next, click the + icon next to "Add action. When presented with the list of available devices, find and click on Sliding Door.
Step 6
The Open action will be selected by default. Click Next in the upper right to proceed. After you are returned to the routine configuration screen click the + icon next to "Add action" to add an additional action.
Step 7
If you would prefer not to add a pause between the open and close actions you can skip this step. To add a pause click the Wait icon, then swipe up on the far right numbers to choose the number of seconds you want the door to remain open before closing. Then click Next in the upper right and after you are returned to the routine configuration screen click the + icon next to "Add action" to add an additional action.
Step 8
Next to "Select" click Open to change the action from "Open" to "Close." Then click Next in the upper right to return to the routine configuration page.
Step 9
Use the = icon to drag actions up or down until they appear in the correct order: Open, then Wait, then Close.
Step 10
Save your routine by clicking the < icon in the upper left.
______________________________________
Use a voice command to trigger a custom routine
You can create a voice command, such as "Alexa, dog" to trigger your custom routine that utilizes the Wayzn skill. First, follow steps 1-3 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above to create a new routine. Then, after clicking the "+" symbol, choose the Voice option. Proceed to type the voice command you wish to use, then click Next.
To finish setting up your routine, follow steps 4-10 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above.
______________________________________
Use a smart button to trigger a custom routine
You can use a smart button to provide an additional way for you, or your trained pet, to open the door. Any smart button that has the ability to trigger an Alexa routine should work. The Amazon Echo Button (discontinued) or Flic 2 button are two we have tested successfully, and both work without the need for an additional smart hub.
To use an Amazon Echo Button, start by following steps 1-3 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above to create a new routine. Then, after clicking the "+" symbol, choose the Echo Button option. Make sure your Echo Button is nearby and press it. After the name of your button appears, click Next.
To finish setting up your routine, follow steps 4-10 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above.
______________________________________
Use a camera to automatically let the dog in
WARNING: OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS REMOTELY CAN BE DANGEROUS.
THE SAFEST WAY TO USE WAYZN WHEN AWAY FROM HOME IS TO FIRST CHECK THE AREA WITH A CAMERA BEFORE MANUALLY OPERATING WAYZN. PLEASE USE CAUTION AND CONSIDER THE RISKS WHEN DECIDING TO USE AUTOMATION.
AUTOMATION IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR HOMES WITH POOLS, SMALL CHILDREN, SMALL PETS, OR YARDS THAT ARE NOT SECURE.
Once you have completed the process of Connecting Wayzn with Alexa, you can create a routine in Alexa to open and close the door. Alexa routines can be triggered by a variety of devices, including Blink and Ring cameras, as well as a variety of other cameras when connected through common smart hubs such as Samsung SmartThings. By creating a routine that uses a camera as a trigger you can let your pet back in without manual intervention.
In choosing a camera, take into consideration where you will place it. We recommend placing a camera directly above the doorway, outside the home, facing downward. By placing the camera outside you can be confident it will be able to detect motion, even at night. It is possible to place a camera inside, but some cameras rely on a passive infared (PIR) sensor to detect motion and can't detect motion through glass, while other cameras can detect motion through glass but not at night.
To connect a camera and use it as a trigger, first add it to Alexa by following the instructions for one of the cameras we have tested successfully:
After adding your camera, continue with configuring your camera as a trigger below.
Blink
Step 1
In the Blink app select the camera you wish to utilize to trigger Wayzn and click the settings icon next to the camera name.
Step 2
On the Camera Settings page be sure you have motion detection enabled and set the Retrigger Time to your liking. We recommend at least 30 seconds to minimize erratic door opening and closing activity.
Step 3
To minimize false positives you can reduce the field of view used for motion detection by the camera. To do so, select the Activity Zones icon, then click Update Photo, and finally click on the areas of the grid you want to disable, leaving the cells directly in front of the door active.
Then click Done and then click Save to exit the Camera Settings page.
Ring
Step 1
In the Ring app select the camera you wish to utilize to trigger Wayzn and click the Motion Settings icon followed by clicking the Motion Zones setting.
Step 2
To minimize false positives you can reduce the field of view used for motion detection by the camera. To do so, click the Customize Motion Zones button, then turn ON/OFF zones and drag the blue highlighted areas until only the area directly in front of the door is active. Then click Done on the Customize Motion Zones page to save your changes.
* Depending on your Ring camera you may have different Advanced Motion detection which allows you to tailor motion detection even further than shown in the above example.
Step 3
Next click the blue Continue button on the Motion Zones page which will take you to the page below to adjust the sensitivity for your camera. Set the sensitivity that will detect your pet most accurately then click SAVE to exit the Motions Zones page.
Configuring your camera as a trigger
After adding your camera to Alexa, follow steps 1-3 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above to create a new routine. Then, after clicking the "+" symbol, choose the Smart Home icon and click the camera you intend to use.
Next you will be prompted to choose the activity that will be the trigger. Select the button next to "Detected," then select Next in the upper right.
To finish setting up your routine, follow steps 4-10 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above.
NOTE: Be sure your camera's motion detection feature is "enabled" or "armed".
______________________________________
Use a schedule to open your door automatically
WARNING: OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS REMOTELY CAN BE DANGEROUS.
THE SAFEST WAY TO USE WAYZN WHEN AWAY FROM HOME IS TO FIRST CHECK THE AREA WITH A CAMERA BEFORE MANUALLY OPERATING WAYZN. PLEASE USE CAUTION AND CONSIDER THE RISKS WHEN DECIDING TO USE AUTOMATION.
AUTOMATION IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR HOMES WITH POOLS, SMALL CHILDREN, SMALL PETS, OR YARDS THAT ARE NOT SECURE.
To set up a scheduled time for your door to open and close automatically, begin by following steps 1-3 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above to create a new routine. Then, after clicking the "+" symbol, choose the Schedule option. Proceed to select the days and times you want the routine to run, then click Next.
To finish setting up your routine, follow steps 5-10 in the Creating an Alexa routine to trigger the Wayzn skill section above.
______________________________________
Comments
0 comments
Article is closed for comments.