Amazon is seeking Toronto-based tech enthusiasts to bring Alexa, its personal assistant, to life.
Between March 11-13, teams will work with the voice-based operating system behind Amazon’s latest consumer electronic device, the Amazon Echo. The Echo is a small speaker that perform tasks determined by the user, like playing music, reading news headlines, making to-do lists, ordering products from Amazon.com, and dimming the lights in the room.
The event will be hosted at Connected Lab in Toronto. “Voice-based technologies will soon play a big role in how we use new products and services, from inside your car to your living room,” says Mike Stern, CEO of Connected Lab. “This is an amazing opportunity to explore the future of connected technology through the Amazon Echo and Alexa.”
The Amazon Echo is currently unavailable in Canada, so the hackathon is an opportunity to give designers and developers the chance to explore the technology, as they are challenged to create new skills for Alexa to perform.
Participants will receive an introduction to the Amazon Echo and instructions on how to build an Alexa Skill through a workshop, and will work one-on-one with experts from Amazon and Connected Lab. Participants will also have the opportunity to win an Amazon Echo, as well as paid internships with Connected Lab.
Registration details are available here.