API.AI Cortana Integration Sample

The app demostrates how to use Api.ai with a Cortana-compatible app. Full focs could be found on the Api.ai Docs Page.

Pre-requisites

ApiAiSDK needs to be included in the project using Nuget.

App class

In the constructor of the App class, initialize AIService:

var config = new AIConfiguration("YOUR_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY",
                                 "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN",
                                 SupportedLanguage.English);

AIService = AIService.CreateService(config);

Add processing of IActivatedEventArgs received from Cortana in the OnActivated method:

protected async override void OnActivated(IActivatedEventArgs e)
{
    AIResponse aiResponse = null;
    try
    {
        aiResponse = await AIService.ProcessOnActivatedAsync(e);
    }
    catch (Exception)
    {
        // ignored
    }

    NavigateToMain(aiResponse);
}

This code makes request to the Api.ai service and then activates MainPage with the AIResponse parameter. The app can process Api.ai response on the MainPage (e.g. it could be pronounced via a Text-to-Speech).

MainPage class

In the MainPage class, implement processing of the AIResponse parameter:

protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
{
    ...

    var response = e.Parameter as AIResponse;
    if (response != null)
    {
        var aiResponse = response;
        OutputJson(aiResponse); // print response as JSON to a textBlock
        OutputParams(aiResponse); // print action parameters to a textBlock
    }
    
   ...
}

Also in the MainPage implement voice requests to the API.AI service and responses pronunciation. See methods Listen_Click and ProcessResult.

ApiAiVoiceCommandService class

ApiAiVoiceCommandService class implements background processing, returns response to Cortana or launches the application. It uses ApiAi object to make requests to an Api.ai agent.

Important: there are multiple ways of processing the commands - see examples below:

 switch (voiceCommand.CommandName)
{
    case "type":
        {
            var aiResponse = await apiAi.TextRequestAsync(recognizedText);
            await apiAi.LaunchAppInForegroundAsync(voiceServiceConnection, aiResponse);
        }
        break;
    case "unknown":
        {
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(recognizedText))
            {
                var aiResponse = await apiAi.TextRequestAsync(recognizedText);
                if (aiResponse != null)
                {
                    await apiAi.SendResponseToCortanaAsync(voiceServiceConnection, aiResponse);
                }
            }
        }
        break;
        ...
}