Amazon Astro is a new robot that can follow you around at home

Amazon has just launched a new home/companion robot that can follow you around the house thanks to it being on wheels. The Amazon Astro will map out your floor plan and do things like following voice commands, help you or your family stay in touch with others via voice calls, and even serve as an aid for eldercare.

With its computer vision, it can also check on your home while you're away. It won't be able to play with your pets just yet, but it has a dedicated periscope cam that pops up from its head to check things out. Think of it as a roving security bot.

You can use it with different accessories, including a Furbo Dog Camera that can toss treats to your pet, a Ziploc container, an Omron blood pressure monitor, and a detachable cup holder. The cup holder will come with the product.

Amazon emphasized that Astro is designed to respect your privacy, incorporating Alexa's standard privacy features. You can specify no-go zones and enable do-not-disturb features to limit its movements at certain times of the day. 

There has been some negative press about Astro, though. On the day Amazon launched this robot, a report was released on Vice, citing unnamed developers of Astro that were unhappy with it. One called it "a disaster that's not ready for release," and another said it was "terrible" and that the idea it would be a helpful accessibility assistant (which is a pitch for Astro when it comes to eldercare) was "absurdist nonsense."

The report also said it couldn't handle stairs well, with one claiming it would "throw itself down" if it was presented the opportunity. Astro is supposedly fragile with several devices broken, which isn't precisely assuring given that it costs at least US$1,000 (around CA$1,269 converted). 

The report also claimed Astro is doing a lot of surveillance with its facial recognition systems and that it isn't that great at figuring out who people are. The report also quoted one source saying its data collection is "a privacy nightmare."

The company refuted the claims to The Verge, saying the leaked documents and videos obtained by Vice were outdated and the characterizations don't reflect how it works today. 

Amazon said in its statement:

These characterizations of Astro's performance, mast, and safety systems are simply inaccurate. Astro went through rigorous testing on both quality and safety, including tens of thousands of hours of testing with beta participants. This includes comprehensive testing on Astro's advanced safety system, which is designed to avoid objects, detect stairs, and stop the device where and when necessary.

As The Verge pointed out, this leak recontextualizes the invite-based rollout of Astro. You will need to request an invite to purchase the robot, where a step will require you to fill out a survey indicating whether your house will be a good fit for Astro. One question mentions the style stairs you have. The company might be looking to put these bots in the best situations to see how well it'll work there.

Source: CNET