🎤 Alexa Computer Control

Control your computer remotely using Alexa voice commands with full Portuguese language support!

Alexa Computer Control is a complete voice-controlled solution that allows you to remotely manage your computer using Amazon Alexa. Built with Node.js, AWS Lambda, and the Alexa Skills Kit, it provides secure Wake-on-LAN functionality, safe shutdowns, status monitoring, and full Portuguese language support.

✨ Features

• 🔌 Remote Power On: Wake-on-LAN support for remotely turning on your computer
• 🛑 Safe Shutdown: Secure shutdown with 1-minute safety delay
• ❌ Cancel Shutdown: Ability to cancel scheduled shutdowns
• 📊 Status Monitoring: Check if your computer is online and running time
• 🇧🇷 Portuguese Support: Full Brazilian Portuguese voice command support
• 🇺🇸 English Support: Also accepts English voice commands
• 🔐 Secure Authentication: API key-based security for all endpoints
• 📱 Multi-platform: Works with any Alexa-enabled device
• 🏠 Home Automation: Perfect for smart home setups
• ☁️ Cloud-based: Uses AWS Lambda for reliable cloud execution

🎯 Voice Commands

Portuguese Commands (Primary)

• Turn On: "Alexa, peça para o controle do computador ligar meu computador"
• Turn Off: "Alexa, peça para o controle do computador desligar meu computador"
• Check Status: "Alexa, peça para o controle do computador verificar status do computador"
• Cancel Shutdown: "Alexa, peça para o controle do computador cancelar shutdown"

English Commands (Secondary)

• Turn On: "Alexa, ask Computer Control to turn on my computer"
• Turn Off: "Alexa, ask Computer Control to turn off my computer"
• Check Status: "Alexa, ask Computer Control to check computer status"
• Cancel Shutdown: "Alexa, ask Computer Control to cancel shutdown"

🏗️ Architecture

┌─────────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐
│  Alexa Device   │───▶│ Alexa Skills │───▶│  AWS Lambda     │───▶│ Your Computer│
│                 │    │   Service    │    │   Function      │    │   (Local)    │
└─────────────────┘    └──────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └──────────────┘
                                                      │                      │
                                                      │                      ▼
                                                      │            ┌──────────────┐
                                                      │            │    Express   │
                                                      └───────────▶│    Server    │
                                                                   │ (Node.js API)│
                                                                   └──────────────┘

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

1. AWS Account with Lambda and Alexa Skills Kit access
2. Ubuntu/Linux Computer to run the local server
3. Wake-on-LAN enabled on your computer
4. Node.js 18+ installed

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/kidush/alexa-computer-control.git
cd alexa-computer-control

2. Get Network Information

./get-network-info.sh

This script will help you find your network interface and MAC address.

3. Configure Local Server

cd computer-server

# Copy and configure environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env file with:
# - API_KEY: A strong secret key
# - COMPUTER_MAC: Your network card MAC address

4. Enable Wake-on-LAN

# Install ethtool if not available
sudo apt install ethtool wakeonlan

# Enable Wake-on-LAN (replace 'eth0' with your interface)
sudo ethtool -s eth0 wol g

# To make it permanent, add to /etc/rc.local:
echo "ethtool -s eth0 wol g" | sudo tee -a /etc/rc.local

5. Install Dependencies

# Install server dependencies
cd computer-server
npm install

# Install Lambda function dependencies
cd ../lambda-function
npm install

📦 Installation

1. Start Local Server

cd computer-server
npm start

The server will be available on port 3000.

2. Test Local Server

# In another terminal
./test-server.sh

3. Expose Server to Internet

You need to expose your local server so AWS Lambda can access it:

Option A: ngrok (Recommended for testing)

# Install ngrok: https://ngrok.com/download
ngrok http 3000
# Note the public URL provided (e.g., https://abc123.ngrok.io)

Option B: Router Port Forwarding

• Configure port forwarding: port 3000 → your computer's internal IP
• Use your external IP in COMPUTER_SERVER_URL

Option C: VPN/VPS

• Set up a VPN tunnel to your home computer

4. Deploy AWS Lambda Function

Automated Deployment:

# Configure AWS CLI first
aws configure

# Deploy using our script
./deploy-lambda.sh

Manual Deployment:

1. Go to AWS Lambda Console

2. Click "Create function"

3. Choose "Author from scratch"

4. Name: computer-control-alexa-skill

5. Runtime: Node.js 18.x

6. Create the function

7. Upload the code:

cd lambda-function
zip -r function.zip .
# Upload function.zip via AWS Console

8. Configure environment variables:
   • COMPUTER_SERVER_URL: Your server's public URL
   • API_KEY: Your secret API key
   • COMPUTER_MAC: Your computer's MAC address

5. Create Alexa Skill

1. Go to Alexa Developer Console

2. Click "Create Skill"

3. Name: "Controle do Computador" (or "Computer Control")

4. Primary language: "Portuguese (BR)" (or "English (US)")

5. Model: "Custom"

6. Hosting method: "Provision your own"

7. Configure Interaction Model:

   • Copy content from alexa-skill/interactionModel-pt-BR.json
   • Paste in the JSON Editor

8. Configure Endpoint:

   • Type: AWS Lambda ARN
   • ARN: Your Lambda function ARN
   • Region: Your AWS region

9. Test the skill in the simulator

🔒 Security

⚠️ IMPORTANT: This project exposes computer controls to the internet. Follow these security practices:

• ✅ Strong API Key: Use a minimum 32-character random API key
• 🔥 Firewall Configuration: Allow only necessary traffic
• 🔍 Monitor Logs: Watch server logs for suspicious activity
• 🔒 HTTPS Preferred: Configure SSL certificate if possible
• 🚪 Consider VPN: Use VPN instead of direct exposure when possible
• ⏰ Safety Delays: 1-minute shutdown delay for safety
• 🎯 Endpoint Protection: Authentication required for all critical endpoints

Security Features Implemented

• ✅ API key authentication
• ✅ CORS protection
• ✅ Input validation
• ✅ Audit logging
• ✅ Safe shutdown delays
• ✅ Error handling

🚑 Troubleshooting

Alexa Doesn't Respond

• Verify the skill is enabled in your Alexa account
• Confirm invocation name: "controle do computador" (PT) or "computer control" (EN)
• Check skill status in Alexa Developer Console

Connection Errors

# Check if server is running
curl http://localhost:3000/health

# Check server logs
cd computer-server && npm start

# Test with your API key
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-key" http://localhost:3000/health

Wake-on-LAN Not Working

# Check WoL status
sudo ethtool eth0 | grep Wake-on

# Enable WoL
sudo ethtool -s eth0 wol g

# Test locally
wakeonlan 00:11:22:33:44:55

# Check BIOS settings for WoL support

Shutdown Issues

# Test shutdown command locally
sudo shutdown -h +1

# Check user permissions
sudo visudo
# Add: username ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /sbin/shutdown

Lambda Function Errors

• Check CloudWatch logs for detailed error messages
• Verify environment variables are set correctly
• Test server URL accessibility from external networks

📚 Project Structure

alexa-computer-control/
├── computer-server/          # Local Node.js server
│   ├── server.js             # Express server with API endpoints
│   ├── package.json          # Server dependencies
│   └── .env.example          # Environment configuration template
├── lambda-function/          # AWS Lambda function
│   ├── index.js              # Alexa skill handler
│   └── package.json          # Lambda dependencies
├── alexa-skill/             # Alexa skill configuration
│   ├── interactionModel-pt-BR.json   # Portuguese interaction model
│   ├── interactionModel.json         # English interaction model
│   └── skill-manifest.json           # Skill manifest
├── deploy-lambda.sh         # Automated AWS deployment script
├── test-server.sh          # Server testing script
├── get-network-info.sh     # Network information helper
├── QUICK_START.md          # Quick setup guide
└── README.md               # This file

🎨 API Endpoints

Endpoint	Method	Auth	Description
/	GET	❌	Server status
/health	GET	❌	Health check
/shutdown	POST	✅	Shutdown computer
/cancel-shutdown	POST	✅	Cancel shutdown
/wake	POST	✅	Wake-on-LAN

🔌 Available Scripts

# Get network information
./get-network-info.sh

# Test local server
./test-server.sh

# Deploy to AWS Lambda
./deploy-lambda.sh

# Start local server
cd computer-server && npm start

# Start with custom port
cd computer-server && PORT=8080 npm start

🌍 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

📞 Support

For support and questions:

• 🐛 Issues: GitHub Issues
• 📚 Documentation: Check the QUICK_START.md for detailed setup
• ✨ Features: Request new features via GitHub Issues

🎆 Acknowledgments

• Amazon Alexa Skills Kit for voice interface capabilities
• AWS Lambda for serverless computing
• Node.js and Express.js for the local server
• Wake-on-LAN protocol for remote power management

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🎉 Happy voice controlling! Now you can manage your computer from anywhere in the world with just your voice!