Amazon introduces ‘Astro’, the clever robot with the ‘brain’ of Alexa

“Robot? What do we do with it?”asks a woman in the video presentation of clever robot Signed by Amazon. The answer is given quickly: Astro is able to move – thanks to its three wheels – around the house, independently or on request, directly and remotely. Usable for Control of people or animals at home or for home patrol By sending notices to the owner if they discover anything unusual. But also to bring a beer or communicate with other people via video while we follow,” explains Amazon. Equipped with a periscope boom, it can actually interact with knobs and buttons, while managing to avoid obstacles thanks to the integrated camera system. .

‘It’s science fiction come true’The American group suspended. An animal entered the house? Gas left open? But also a possible intrusion by strangers into the house. These are just some of the situations that Astro can manage, by activating alarm systems, or showing what is happening directly on the homeowner’s smartphone screen thanks to the built-in cameras. He said, “When you’re outside, you can use it to monitor your house.” Dave LimpAmazon VP, in the promotional video, “Astro can also be used to check that all is well with seniors at home.”

Everything is under control then, but what are the privacy risks? “In some cases, a home security camera can be useful,” said Matthew Gariglia, an analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-governmental organization that advocates for the matter. Human Rights on the Internet. “But – he asserts – the device can also act as a Trojan horse for hackers or police.” Suspicions Limp wanted to refute immediately, stating that users would be able to block the robot’s lenses and microphones. While any hacking attempts will be recognized by the bot, it will report it through messages and notifications.