Meet Astro (Amazon's new home robot)

[AbydosOne]

Summary

Amazon has announced (and made available for [pre?-]order) their new home robot, Astro.

 

 

 

 

Quotes

Quote

Amazon’s Astro is the first home robot from the company, and is being introduced after four years in development. Like previous Amazon firsts, it will be available as a Day 1 product. So if you’re interested you can sign up and you might receive an invite to order one. It’s also available for an introductory Day 1 price of $999 versus the normal $1,449 price. Either way, it’s not something you’ll drop cash on willy-nilly.

-CNN

 

Quote

“Do we think in five to 10 years that customers will depend on robots in their home?”

 

That question was posed to me and my colleagues during a team discussion a few years ago about how AI and consumer electronics will be more helpful in our future homes. It was a big question, and one that’s hard to predict, but it led to an exciting and thought-provoking discussion about a vision for home robotics. As we went around the room, we all believed in a future where every home would have at least one robot helping with everyday tasks. As we wrapped the meeting, the message was clear: “let’s get started.”

-Amazon

 

From the Amazon product page:

Quote

• Keep home closer - Meet Astro, the household robot for home monitoring, with Alexa.
• Introducing Intelligent Motion - Amazon Astro uses advanced navigation technology to find its way around your home and go where you need it. When you're not using Astro, it will hang out close by at the ready.
• Stay connected from anywhere - Remotely send Astro to check on specific rooms, people, or things. Plus, get alerts if Astro detects an unrecognized person or certain sounds when you're away.
• Unlock even more peace of mind - Activate your 6-month free trial of Ring Protect Pro subscription and have Astro proactively patrol, investigate activity, save videos in Ring's cloud storage for up to 60 days, and more.
• Alexa Together subscription (Coming soon) - Remotely care for aging loved ones, giving you peace of mind while helping them live independently. Set up reminders, manage shopping lists, receive activity alerts, and more.
• Put Alexa in motion - Astro can follow you with entertainment or find you to deliver calls, messages, timers, alarms, or reminders.
• Designed to protect your privacy - Turn off mics, cameras, and motion with one press of a button and use the Astro app to set out of bounds zones to let Astro know where it's not allowed to go.
• Customize with compatible products – Astro comes with a detachable cup holder and can carry other items (sold separately) like a Ziploc container, the OMRON blood pressure monitor, and a Furbo Dog Camera that tosses treats to your pet.

 

My thoughts

It's too cute to immediately punt out of my apartment, but the last thing I want is an Alexa that follows me around. I see the practical applications, though, and there will be persons who can take advantage of this sort of device.

 

With a name like "Astro", though, I expect it to have onboard Blue Origin boosters with Prime-delivered refills.

 

Sources

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/28/cnn-underscored/astro-amazon-robot-hands-on/index.html

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/meet-astro-a-home-robot-unlike-any-other

[bmx6454]

looks cool, i think my dogs would attack it though lol

[Spotty]

Why would anyone want this in their home? If you want this please explain to me what the appeal of it is. 

[thechinchinsong]

4 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Why would anyone want this in their home? If you want this please explain to me what the appeal of it is. 

I can see the benefit of items like an Amazon echo or a Google home device, since those are basically connect smart speakers with some extra functionality, but what purpose does this hold over existing products already offered by Amazon or Google. This is completely disregarding the privacy concerns of having such devices.

[Velcade]

18 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Why would anyone want this in their home? If you want this please explain to me what the appeal of it is. 

I'm hoping it reads my mind at night and amazon packages appear at my door in the morning. 

 

Or you know...  This

 

[Belgarathian]

17 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Why would anyone want this in their home? If you want this please explain to me what the appeal of it is. 

People bought Jibo...

[TVwazhere]

This is just Jibo on wheels

 

In four years it will do a sad dance signaling it's EOL

[Salv8 (sam)]

3 hours ago, Spotty said:

Why would anyone want this in their home? If you want this please explain to me what the appeal of it is. 

because people are stupid and haven't evolved to get themselves away from the simple caveman thought of "shiny thing, grog must have shiny thing OOGA BOOGA"

it's a waste of materials that could be spent on, ya know, something actually useful like a phone, or anything that isn't a privacy invading IOT piece of shit.

[sub68]

3 hours ago, Spotty said:

Why would anyone want this in their home? If you want this please explain to me what the appeal of it is. 

one word Japan

[Blademaster91]

29 minutes ago, sub68 said:

one word Japan

Japan would make it cute, i'm not sure why but theres something creepy about this amazon bot.

[sub68]

2 minutes ago, Blademaster91 said:

Japan would make it cute

True...

2 minutes ago, Blademaster91 said:

i'm not sure why but theres something creepy about this amazon bot.

I don't see it

[Red :)]

4 minutes ago, sub68 said:

I don't see it

imagine those two eyes staring at you at midnight

[DildorTheDecent]

9 minutes ago, Red said:

imagine those two eyes staring at you at midnight

That's hardly any different from my sleep paralysis demon.

[poochyena]

I've seen SOOOOO many of these robots. Its basically just a tablet with wheels. I could see this being super useful as a security bot in a large building like a mall or convention center or something, but a personal house? No. I don't see the point. It just does everything your phone can do. It can't climb stairs, so it can't even follow you everywhere in many (most?) homes.

Robot vacuum cleaners are useful, but even they aren't ubiquitous in every home, and thats from a rich nation perspective. Absolutely no one in poorer nations are going to have any interest in this.
The “Do we think in five to 10 years that customers will depend on robots in their home?” question is obvious. No.

 

[sub68]

36 minutes ago, Red said:

imagine those two eyes staring at you at midnight

oh...

*prepares glock*

[JCHelios]

5 hours ago, AbydosOne said:

an introductory Day 1 price of $999

But is it worth it?

[WaggishOhio383]

5 hours ago, AbydosOne said:

Unlock even more peace of mind - Activate your 6-month free trial of Ring Protect Pro subscription and have Astro proactively patrol, investigate activity, save videos in Ring's cloud storage for up to 60 days, and more.

So nice to see that one of the main useful features of this $1500 device will be locked behind a monthly subscription

[BondiBlue]

I see absolutely zero point for these things in the home. I use smart speakers, but a robot? Just why?

[StDragon]

It looks so kickable.

[poochyena]

31 minutes ago, WaggishOhio383 said:

So nice to see that one of the main useful features of this $1500 device will be locked behind a monthly subscription

nah, you do actually get something out of it at least, the storage space. Not sure how the cost compared to google drive or something though..

[williamcll]

I am pretty sure there are cheaper alternatives.

[Rauten]

So you're basically paying Amazon 1500$ for them to put a choker and leash on you.

 

I thought people hired a dominatrix for stuff like this?

[Sauron]

12 hours ago, AbydosOne said:

Remotely care for aging loved ones

Distopia here we come!

[X-System]

Amazon want to have a robot "Astro" like Astro Boy ?

 

[Lightwreather]

It's absolutely not gonna be used by amazon to use this to collect more data on you