Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

Amazon reveals the science behind Astro, its new home robot

Trevor Mogg
By

Amazon has unveiled a canine-like home robot assistant called Astro.

The Alexa-powered, wheel-based bot is designed for a range of functions, including home security, communication, entertainment, and transportation (in its slick promo video, it’s seen carrying a beer, though it doesn’t have a robotic arm to actually grab one). Astro has a cute look, too, mainly thanks to its big round “eyes” that appear on a display located at the front of the machine.

Amazon isn’t shipping Astro until later this year, so we’ve no idea yet if it will perform anywhere near as well as it does in the promo video.

Recommended Videos

Shortly after unveiling the robot on Tuesday, September 28, Amazon also dropped a video (below) titled “The Science Behind Astro,” in which some of the engineers who worked on the device chat about how the project developed.

Related

“We’ve pulled together technologies from all these different areas to build something that so many roboticists have been dreaming about and thinking about,” said Gregg Zeher, president of Lab126, Amazon’s hardware research unit. “The question wasn’t ‘should we build it?’ but ‘why wouldn’t we?’”

Astro features SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) technology that uses cameras and sensors to help it build a map of its surroundings, ensuring it can navigate its environment autonomously, efficiently, and, most importantly, safely.

Ken Kiraly, Lab126 vice president and one of the engineers behind the creation of the Kindle e-book reader, said Astro is “unlike anything I’ve ever done before,” adding: “The technology that we have built, I look at as foundational.”

There have been many attempts by various companies to build a truly useful home-based robot that is designed to be part of the family, but most efforts have fallen short of expectations. Amazon has already honed some of the technology built into Astro, such as its Alexa digital assistant and Ring security system, so that should play to its advantage.

But whether folks will want to part with $1,449 for what some might see as an Echo Show on wheels (that can’t go up or down stairs) remains to be seen.

For some ideas on home robots that can perform chores that Astro can’t, check out these ideas from Digital Trends.

Amazon unveiled a raft of other devices at its annual hardware event this week, including a wall-mountable Echo Show and a “digital playground” for kids called Glow. It also offered an update on its flying security camera.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Amazon Devices & Services livestream: Alternatives to every announced product
roku streambar ultra 2020 side angle closer

Amazon recently debuted a bunch of new gadgets, including the Kindle Scribe, Rise Halo, a slew of new Echo Dot smart speakers, and more. And while just about everything revealed during the Devices & Services livestream looked fantastic, there are already a lot of existing smart home products that fill a similar niche.

Whether you’re looking for a budget replacement or simply can’t wait for a release date that’s over a month away, here are some great alternatives to consider. All of these are available for purchase today and feature a skill set that’s comparable to Amazon’s latest devices.
Hatch Restore is an affordable Halo Rise alternative

Read more
Despite its new features, Astro is still impractical for most people
Astro looking at a dog on a couch.

Amazon's Astro is among the most interesting devices in its entire product lineup. The idea of an intelligent home robot tickles something deep in our psyches, harking back to old episodes of The Jetsons. At its Devices & Services event, Amazon announced a ton of new features for Astro that make it more useful than before, and even expand its functionality to small businesses, too. Yet despite all these features and updates, the Astro remains largely impractical for most people.

If you're going to drop almost $1,500 on a robot, it needs to do more than look at things.

Read more
Amazon Astro gets new pet- and security-focused features
Astro looking at an open front door of a home.

Last year, Amazon announced its new home robot Astro. Astro combines autonomous navigation, intelligent motion, Alexa, and a cheery personality all into one device. Thus far, you could use it to help patrol and secure your home or have it always near a loved one for communication. Today at its fall hardware event, Amazon announced new features that Astro will have to improve its intelligence.

First, Astro is no longer just for the home, but also for small and medium-sized businesses. Having Astro patrol your business after hours or while you're away is an excellent alternative to hiring a security guard. Speaking of which, Astro can now utilize Ring's Virtual Security Guard feature to keep businesses protected. For example, suppose the company is already using Ring Alarm systems, and an alarm goes off. In that case, Astro can investigate what is happening while a rapid response agent can visually observe what's happening in real time. Then, if needed, agents can take action by calling authorities or talking to intruders using Astro's cameras and two-way talk microphones.

Read more