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What it lacks in mobility, it makes up for cuteness. A pair of blinky Wall-E-esque eyes watch out from its rectangular screen where it is possible to take video calls and monitor your Ring home security system (if you have one of those).
In anticipation of criticisms over privacy, Amazon has included a bunch of privacy features including the option to input no-go zones. There’s also a push-button feature to switch off all cameras, microphones and motion, which kind of sounds like an off button.
The truth is, Astro isn’t really advanced enough to make its $999.999 price tag worth it. A recent article published in a Vice article highlighted its downfalls and the opinions of developers who reportedly worked on the robot. They described it as “awful,” a “disaster not suitable for release,” and “possibly hazardous”, claims which Amazon disputes.
Then again, isn’t this the age-old story when it comes to technology, always under delivering on its promises. Plus, as long as the consumer believes the problem the product promises to fix is more important than its overall quality no one will care. For some, that problem will concern home surveillance and for others it will be having to grab their own beer from the fridge.
If AI technologies are being integrated into children’s education, Astro as a household object may not be so far-fetched. Don’t miss Quarky—the reconfigurable robot kit teaching kids about AI and robots.