Amazon Echo connect to ESP32 controlled mains outlet - flash lamp to indicate HANDICAP ALARM

[micklebt]

USE CASE: my senior citizen mother is a bedridden paraplegic. I am trying to give her voice-activated safety and security capability using Amazon Echo and ESP boards.

I have learned to control AC Mains outlets ON and OFF using Echo and ESP boards connected to AC power outlets. "Alexa, turn LAMP 1 ON or OFF." Issuing simple ON and OFF commands is very straightforward using the Echo.

HOWEVER, I would also like to be able to send a FLASH ALARM command to one or more outlets. This would rapidly cycle a lamp to ALERT my aged father when mom is needing his help. The light would strobe ON and OFF to get father's attention.

I am having difficulty implementing this use case. Perhaps someone can suggest a way. Ideally, the light could function normally until the ESP8266 or ESP32 is commanded to flash the warning.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[ESP_Sprite]

How exactly are you having difficulty with this? What have you already tried?

[micklebt]

Thank you for the reply.

I understand how to turn the light ON/OFF using Echo voice commands. In other words, I've succeeded at getting the ESP to 'listen' for an Echo command which in turn signals a single given GPIO pin to go high or low.

What I cannot figure out is whether it's possible to create an Alexa voice command into an ESP script which RAPIDLY cycles the lamp ON/OFF. Using the same device (ESP and AC outlet) how might I get the lamp to cycle rapidly on command - via the Echo Alexa voice commands?

Put a different way: can the Echo device tell an ESP to do more than one thing (ON/OFF)? Is there a way to also say "Alexa, FLASH Lamp 1" rather than simply "Alexa, turn Lamp 1 ON/OFF."

VERY admittedly, I am a rookie. I rely upon cut/paste of code and tweak until I get something that works.

[WiFive]

On esp32 side you could pretend to be 2 different devices for echo with different names and then "turn light on" and "turn flash on". Anything more complicated is a question for amazon developer forum.

Also I'm pretty sure you are using esp8266 not esp32 because i dont know any outlets shipping with esp32 inside so you might want to try the esp8266.com forum.

[micklebt]

Thank you. That is an interesting option I will dig into.

You are correct. At the moment I'm experimenting with ESP8266 boards, but I've just begun to order a few ESP32 boards and will be transitioning to them soon.