Technology
Amazon wants to sell small robot “Astro” to companies
The robot “Astro” from Amazon. photo
© -/Amazon/dpa
Astro looks like a vacuum cleaner with a display, listens to every word and can do a lot of other things too. Until now it was intended as a private household robot. Now Amazon is targeting a different target group.
The rolling surveillance camera is not cheap: The robot costs around 2,350 dollars (2,169 euros) in the “Astro for Business” program, as Amazon announced on Wednesday. You also have to pay $80 per month for subscriptions that allow you, for example, to save recordings for six months or send the robot on certain routes.
For an additional $99 a month, Astro can also call security at the sound of a fire alarm or breaking glass, who will call the police if necessary. The camera can extend to a height of over one meter so that it can also look over furniture. The robot can cover areas of a good 460 square meters for a room plan. The business offer is initially only available in the USA.
Astro is about the size of a vacuum cleaner, can be operated by voice and has already been able to take over the supervision of the home. Amazon has so far only sold the device in small quantities in the USA to private individuals for around $1,600 and described it primarily as a companion for the household and, for example, older family members.