Use Google Assistant to directly talk to my Android app and execute a very simple task

Question

I am working on a project to integrate the Google Assistant with an existing Android app. The requirements are simple. Assuming my app is named TestApp and I want it to just change the background color of the app home page, I want to be able to say,

"Hey Google, Change background to black on TestApp".

I was given links to ActionsSDK, but looking into it, I see that it is only a stand-alone app that extends Google Assistant and has nothing to do with android itself.

The closest API I found that does what I need is the Voice Interactions. This is very similar to what I need done but it only allows preset voice triggers such as "call this person..." or "set alarm at...", but cannot do "change background..." like in in my example. According to this link, custom voice actions aren't allowed.

So my question is, is it possible to directly interact with my app and have it do a very simple task?

Thanks

Transpire

Same question here. I scanned through the docs and couldn't find a way to get from the Assistant to an Android App. That's really a shame, hope someone finds a way or that Google expands the capabilities of the Actions SDK! – Benevento

Hey, if your requirements are basic and don't require too much customization, then you should look into Voice Actions. It can trigger your app directly but there are only default triggers/intents. My app requires a little more custom commands, so it won't work for me. But maybe it can help you – Transpire

Google Voice Action currently support limited action. For your case, it is simple but not supported yet, you should change your app behavior a little bit. For example, you can implement Google Voice Search Action first, search change background on TestAppp, then Google will open a screen that allows user change background, you just need to confirm for finish this action with Voice integrate. – Superimpose

Answer 1

You may want to connect an Android app property with your Actions project to sell your digital goods in the Play store. Implement digital transactions to sell your Play store items as part of a conversation with your Action.

To connect an Android app with your Actions console project, you will first need to connect a website to your project. Follow the instructions provided above in Connecting a website.

Once you've connected a website, under Android app, click the Connect App button and follow the instructions shown. Once you have completed the instructions over in the Play console, it may take up to 24hrs before the connected Android app is reflected in the Actions console. Try this in Action on google

Navarrette

Answer 2

Right now there is no way to do communication between Android App and Google Assistant. If your GA is built upon Dialogflow API (specifically not using action-on-google), then you can use Dialogflow Android client in your Android App to communicate with Dialogflow Agent.

Cook

@Ahinav Tyagi , can u please elaborate or provide link specific to this . I have custom GA built upon DialogFlow. At the end of the conversation i want to redirect from GA to my app with some data. Thanks in advance. – Sokol

maybe this may help you youtube.com/watch?v=v0uYZ4rTOrk Going from Android App to GA is not available. From GA to App was in Beta when I last checked couple of months back. – Cook

It looks like even if GA shows my app , user has to touch chips or whatever to reach or open my app, and that's exactly i want to avoid. Please correct me if i am wrong . – Sokol

Answer 3

I wrote an app for my own use to brighten the screen when I was in bright sunshine and could not see the screen by asking the assistant to launch the app. Then on launch I executed code to make the change. A cheesy work-around I know :-)

Polymorphous

Answer 4

you can try using this

[1]: https://docs.slanglabs.in/slang/

This will allow you to perform several actions through voice inside your app. You can use the console to add actions and utterances and there are some sample apps which might help you.

I have used it in a lot of my apps. Feel free to reach out in case you need help, good luck!

Genitor