‎Trigger Smart Home Routines (Google, Alexa) with SimpliSafe Alarms | SimpliSafe Support Home
 
ack0605's profile

Friday, December 8th, 2023 4:04 AM

4

Trigger Smart Home Routines (Google, Alexa) with SimpliSafe Alarms

Amazon, Apple, and Google Smart Home devices (Alexa, HomeKit, Home/Nest) all allow routines. SimpliSafe not only must support arming the system in Home or Away mode in a Routine, but it also needs to be able to trigger a pre-defined routine based on an Alarm. For example;

Entry/Glassbreak Alarm triggers routine that Sets All Lights Blink RED
Water Alarm triggers routine that Sets All Lights BLUE
Fire Alarm triggers routine to Turn Thermostat OFF, Unlocks All Doors, and Sets All Lights to Yellow
CO2 Alarm triggers routine to Turn Thermostat OFF, Unlocks All Doors, and Sets All Lights to White
Medical Alarm triggers routine to Unlocks All Doors, and Sets All Lights to ON, Send Text Family

SimpliTrigger would allow any user to setup up Routines based on ANY Smart Devices in their home. Creating routines such as, “SimpliSafe Break-in”, “SimpliSafe Water”, “SimpliSafe Fire”, and “SimpliSafe Gas” can be verbally tested by the user before linking to the SimpliSafe Alarm type. Hearing impaired customers would now have a visual alarm and a mean to automatically Text Family or Friends. First Responders would benefit knowing they’re at the right location, blinking Red lights for the Police or Yellow, ideal light color for smoky environments for firefighters. Medical personnel would find the home all lit up and doors unlocked.

The current SimpliSafe Alexa Skill is worthless as it requires a voice confirmation of your request to set your system in Home or Away mode and can’t be added to normal routines. The creation of SimpliTrigger that also allowed arming your system in regular routines would be a valuable enhancement and an innovative product differential, easily worth $5 a month subscription.

Ack0605

1 Message

9 months ago

Agreed. Would happily pay more for just the most basic access in Routines. 👍🏼

8 months ago

I would like Simplisafe to turn on my lights in the event of an alarm.  I can turn my lights on with my voice, but that only works when I am home.

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled Simplisafe interface for smart light switches

Community Admin

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3.4K Messages

Hi @tstevensbusiness101, 

Thank you for this suggestion! We will pass this along to our devs for their consideration. 

2 Messages

4 months ago

I am very interested in an update based on this. This seems like a very basic feature. I understand completely that they don't want the smart home feature to be used for life safety critical things, but it seems that with an appropriate disclaimer allowing Simplisafe to send an "alarm triggered" and "alarm cleared" signals to Google Home and Alexa is rather innocuous and would really be of great benefit for smart home users. I made my way here because I was looking for a "alarm triggered turns on all lights" routine and can't find anything. Although the original poster wants it to be separated by alarm type, I would be okay if it was simply a "alarm state" that can be used to trigger things like lights turning on. No life safety critical but could still be really useful in an emergency.

Edit: I intended but failed to say "one way from Simplisafe to the other services" notice. I agree that it should not be possible to clear an alarm from Home or Alexa, just that those services should be able to be notified of alarm state.

(edited)

1.4K Messages

4 months ago

It can be done DIY, with other software and hardware, but will not happen with this equipment in the near future, if ever in my opinion. Unless they suddenly change their business model. Which is doubtful.

2 Messages

How does one figure out how to do this DIY?

1.4K Messages

@mr_safety_123​ Well, it helps to be a bit techy or have a willingness to learn, "the hard way". It's really not bad to get there. Go slow, learn, search, ask, forums and discord, X, reddit, Facebook etc.

For instance, Samsung one ui5 and later phones have modes and routines, easy, if this, then that, limited in capabilities though, but useful.

For example when I leave my Samsung geo fence, it reads me a push I setup, "Hey, did you arm Simplisafe"? Once I re-enter the fence it reminds me to disarm.

GPS is not always deadly with position but it works. Changes volumes etc when I plug in at night ro charge etc etc.

IFTTT, which is IF This, Then That, for speedy applets they want money, but you can do a couple slow ones free.

Samsung smartthings, Alexa, Google Home has it uses, personally I don't talk to my devices, yet... There are "many" others with cloud linked hubs. Money may be involved. Usually is. Lol

Tasker is a useful phone automation app for Android, MacroDroid is similar, I think both can be trialed free to a degree or with ads. Learning curve.

Example, I use Tasker and its plugins to intercept push notifications with certain words, like smoke alarm, Simplisafe Alarm, Motion Detected etc etc. and then can fire up a siren sound or turn on compatible smart things like smart bulbs etc. etc.

My go-to is home assistant, I added parallel zigbee entry and motion sensors and can do whatever I want with lights and alarms, etc. I still arm and disarm Simplisafe, but actually don't have to. Redundancy is good while it works.

HA is not compatible with every device, but is with many.

Home Assistant is very powerful, open source, a part of the open home foundation, is fiddling with Matter, etc etc. and can work a bit with Tasker and a lot more.

You can build dashboards, automations, monitor your Tesla, weather, solar, skies the limit. Even a Simplisafe integration, though I find it useless. That's probably enough info to maybe get you started or scare you off 😉 and not violate SS terms and conditions.  Lol

Just as Simplisafe is a closed system, all but home assistant are ecosystems and have many compatible devices, but like you to buy their hub etc. and stay in their realm, like SS.

Don't get me wrong, home assistant devices aren't free either, but inexpensive to start. Zigbee entry sensors are extra, motion sensors are extra etc. they strive for no cloud necessary operation, but also work with wifi and cloud devices.

Don't quote me but I think HA integrates with over 1,000 API's and 1,000's of devices.

If questions, DM me. Warning, It's a rabbit hole though. But fun if techy and one wants to be self reliant.

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