Retired Electronics Technologist. Spent 40+ years working in the field of supplying high reliability, wide area two way radio networks, dispatch centers and user equipment specifically for public safety and first responders across many provinces (Canada). Customers typically various levels of government.

Have built a home computer system using rPi3 and a custom interface board I built. Programmed it using Node Red and the Callie voice from Cepstral. The voice appears thru ceiling speakers mounted throughout the house (main floor, upper deck, garage, lower level and lower patio areas). Provides the following:

• Home alarm system (away mode and home mode).
• Door monitoring service (garage door open extended period of time).
• Internet monitoring service (including low speed notice).
• Stock monitoring service.
• Commercial hydro, solar system and CCTV monitoring service.
• Daily weather reports and weather alert (warning) function (scrape Environment Canada ATOM feed and build custom voice msg).
• Door bell monitoring with music mute function.
• Full logging of every event (door bell, doors open /close, alarm on /off, etc..)

All messages and alarms are spoken over the house wide speakers and crucial alarms send an email to my phone. Upon receipt of an email I can access the CCTV cameras on my iPad, phone or any PC from anywhere in the world to check the reported issue.

Music to the house speakers go through the rPi3 so that it can be muted whenever a msg is spoken by rPi3 (Jessie) or the front door bell is pushed upon which Paul McCartney's "Someone's knockin at the door" will play. Useful when partying on the back deck.

Next step is to add voice recognition so I can use voice to command "Jessie" (O/S name of rPi3).