An Amazon-branded domestic robot has been talked about for some time, now it has finally arrived. It’s called Astro, it’s about fifty centimeters high, it moves on three wheels. It doesn’t have a face, but on the LCD it shows expressions and reactions. You can call him with an ad hoc voice command, and ask him to help us with simple tasks such as bringing a beer, following us, checking if someone has entered the house, communicating on video with other people. It has a periscope arm that allows it to interact in a limited way with objects such as knobs and buttons, and a series of cameras that allow it to move around the house avoiding obstacles. It is not the first domestic robot on the market, but it is the first that could be successful, as it combines several features already widely tested in other Amazon products. It will be available for the moment only in the USA.
by Bruno Ruffilli