I have a question about connecting devices that do not link directly to Hubitat.
We have smart shades and screens (Zigbee-based) that wouldn't connect to Hubitat directly. To solve this, we bought their dedicated hub (CalypsHome), which successfully connected to them. Through the CalypsHome app, we can create routines (e.g., opening/closing at specific times), and we also linked the hub to Alexa.
Now, we have two questions:
Is there a way to connect Hubitat to these devices via Alexa?
Since the shades and screens are connected to the CalypsHome hub, and this hub is linked to Alexa, is there a way for Hubitat to access what Alexa sees?
Ideally, we'd like to create a routine where, if the temperature exceeds 21°C, the screens automatically close.
Alexa only found the shades, not the screens.
After linking Alexa to the CalypsHome hub via the Skills & Games section, only the shades were detected, while the screens were not.
We tried disabling/re-enabling the skill, but no change.
Is there a method to force Alexa to detect missing devices?
The Hubitat Amazon Echo integration is designed to share Hubitat-connected devices to Amazon Alexa, not the other way around.
You can implement a workaround, however. In order to allow Hubitat very basic control of the Alexa-connected devices, you could create a Virtual Contact Sensor device on your Hubitat Hub. Then share this Virtual Contact Sensor device to Alexa using the Hubitat Amazon Echo App application. On the Hubitat side, when you want to open the shades, have a Rule Machine Rule change the value of the Virtual Contact Sensor to "open". On the Alexa side, create an Alexa Routine that is Triggered by the Hubitat Virtual Contact Sensor changing to "open", and then have the routine simply open the shade. And vice versa, of course to close the shade.
In the above design, the communications are strictly one-way, from Hubitat to Alexa. If you want to also keep the Hubitat virtual contact sensor up to date when the shades are open/closed directly via Alexa, things get a little more complicated. Alexa cannot change the status of the virtual contact sensor. So, a special Hubitat custom device driver must be used, one which includes both the Contact Sensor capability as well as the Switch capability. Why the complexity? Well, Alexa Routines cannot be Triggered by a 'Switch' device. Alexa Routines can only be triggered by Contact Sensors, Motion Sensors, and Door Locks, if I recall correctly. Alexa Routines cannot change the status of a virtual contact sensor, but they can change the status of a virtual switch device. So, having a Hubitat device that implements both the Contact Sensor and Switch capabilities, and ties these together, allows an Alexa routine to be triggered, or to change the value, if the virtual device.
Are you measuring the indoor or outdoor temperature exceeding 21°C? If it is the indoor temperature, I believe some Amazon Echo devices actually include an internal temperature sensor. IIRC, this internal temperature sensor can be used to trigger an Alexa Routine. Thus, perhaps you can achieve your desired goal without having to use the workaround above?
That would be a question for the CalypsHome team. In general, there is no way to force Alexa to see things that are not implemented as part of the vendor's Amazon Alexa Skill. The vendor would need to add that capability to their Skill.
thanks so much for your detailed reply <3
I think I'll try first to see if it's working directly through the Alexa sensor cause the virtual sensor seems a bit complicated.
I'll keep you informed, thanks again ! all the best
Yiannis
all the best
