Whether you are an Apple fanboy or not, you have to admit that the Siri voice control functionality built into the iPhone 4S is pretty ama ing. Being able to speak to your handset in a natural tone and rhythm, then have it answer back is certainly a production booster. If you’re like us though, you have dreamed of being able to use Siri to interact with much more than just your phone. Phrases like “start my car,” or “turn porch lights off” are just the start of the things you would like to be able to control when it comes to using this new technology for alternative purposes. Thinking like this has put technology on the cusp of true convergence when it comes to home automation. With some inventive hacks involving the Siri protocols, a major step forward has been taken in the form of being able to control a WiFi-enabled home thermostat.
This was made possible by mobile developers from Applidium working to understand the process of how Siri communicates with Apple servers. By cracking Siri’s protocols, and making their tools public, it was then possible for other developers to make their own Siri-based hacks. Eager to use the newfound knowledge of how Cupertino’s digital assistant works under the hood, an Apple enthusiast called Plamoni created a hack — called Siri Proxy — that, among other things (such as interact with Twitter!), can successfully communicate with a product called Radio Thermostat. With some know-how and a server running in their home, a user can get updates on the current inside temperature, adjust climate settings, and switch their HVAC system on or off with simple spoken statements.
Before you go rushing off to try this using your own hardware, you need to fully understand what is required to make this work. This is a very rough, unofficial hack to the Siri system, not something you can go to the App Store and download. While a jailbreak is not required, you do have to create a false root certificate to allow redirection of commands to a proxy server. Plamoni warns that the process isn’t for beginners, and has various bugs to be worked out of the system. You should go ahead knowing you do so at your own risk.
Most importantly, though, with Applidium’s tools and Siri Proxy in the wild, it now won’t be long until a whole range of Siri hacks become available — unless Apple finds a way of closing the hole, that is.
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