You create your own set of commands, you specify what subsequent action(s) should be performed, and then you say it.
We utilize the latest state-of-the-art speech recognition technology from MicrosoftTM to ensure the highest quality voice recognition to control home automation devices. We also put total control in your hands: You specify what commands the system should listen to, what action(s) the system should take when it hears and understands a particular command, and the audio response the system should reply with.
To make it work, there are just six simple steps to follow:
Download and run our VoiceZIX software. If necessary, run the intuitive Setup Wizard (built-in VoiceZIX) to setup voice recognition on your machine.
Create and test your own commands.
Export the template to HomeZIX’s script.
Customize the script in HomeZIX.
Run HomeZIX and connect VoiceZIX to HomeZIX
Enjoy talking to HomeZIX.
1. Download and run VoiceZIX software, our free voice interface software for HomeZIX’s users. Use VoiceZIX to create, manage, and test your voice commands.
The first step is to setup your computer so that it can recognize your voice. Select the “Speech Recognition” menu, and click on the Setup Wizard.
![](http://www.automationvista.com/UserFiles/News/VoiceZIX/clickSetupWizard.jpg)
This will activate a simple step-by-step wizard helping you to download and install the free components from Microsoft which enable voice recognition on your PC.
Please note again that VoiceZIX is FREE to HomeZIX’s users. Use your HomeZIX’s user ID and activation key to activate VoiceZIX by going to “HomeZIX” -> “License” menu.
By the way, separating VoiceZIX and HomeZIX software components enables us to provide you greater flexibility in deployment. Thus, for example, you can not only input voice commands from multiple microphones, but also from any number of Windows computing platforms (such as Pocket PC terminals, for example) each running the free VoiceZIX software. So this is the first step toward the goal of enabling this most flexible of architectures for home automation via voice recognition, throughout your entire home.
(Note that VoiceZIX for PocketPC will be available in the next release.)
If you intend to run VoiceZIX on a different machine, go to “HomeZIX”->”IP Configuration” to setup the connection to the computer running HomeZIX.
2. Create and test your own commands.
After finishing the wizard (including the voice training), right click on the command window to start creating your commands. You can modify or delete commands at any time.
![](http://www.automationvista.com/UserFiles/News/VoiceZIX/addCommand.jpg)
3. Export the template to HomeZIX’s script.
After finish testing your commands to ensure that the system can recognize your voice commands with acceptable confidence, export the template to HomeZIX’s script. This creates a C# script that you will later import into HomeZIX for action customization. So, please remember where you save the file.
![](http://www.automationvista.com/UserFiles/News/VoiceZIX/toHZScript.jpg)
4. Customize the script in HomeZIX.
Once you have finished creating your voice commands and are satisfied with the voice recognition level, then it is time to tell HomeZIX what to do when it recognizes one of the voice commands.
Import the template in step 3 by dropping an “Advanced Script”, navigate to “C# source code” window and right click to open the file.
Navigate to “ProcessMessage” function, and you should see all the commands in there.
![](http://www.automationvista.com/UserFiles/News/VoiceZIX/viewCode.jpg)
It is totally up to you now to decide what HomeZIX should do when it “hears” a particular command. For example: If you have an X10 on/off module at address E5 and you want it to turn on when you say: “X10 ON”, you must place the cursor within the case statement “X10 ON” , right click on the X10 device on the panel at left, and select “Turn On”. Note that we haven’t had to do any code writing. Just point and click. You can customize further, for example, by replacing the default feedback “Action performed, sir” by the string: “X10 E5 is on, my master.”
![](http://www.automationvista.com/UserFiles/News/VoiceZIX/modifyCode.jpg)
5. Connecting VoiceZIX to HomeZIX
After defining all the actions in Step 4, make sure the script compiled ok, and then switch HomeZIX to the “Run” mode. Switch back to the VoiceZIX program and click on the “Connect to HomeZIX” button locating at the bottom of the window. If the connection is established, you should see the status string. Otherwise, please check that your firewall and/or the anti-virus program are not blocking the connection.
![](http://www.automationvista.com/UserFiles/News/VoiceZIX/connectHomeZIX.jpg)
6. Enjoy talking to HomeZIX.
Have fun. There is no limitation; all the power is in your hands. Personally, I created a very cool “Movie mode” command that automatically dims all the lights to 50% and turns on the TV and DVD player for me, but one of my colleagues has it set up such that the light comes on when he says “X10 off’, and turns off when he says “X10 on”. What’s the heck… It’s your life, automate it your way!