I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for new tech to make my life more efficient. The launch of Amazon’s Astro robot is one such innovation that could potentially improve our daily routines in many ways. First, it can complete tasks previously reserved for humans. Second, its relatively affordable price ($999) makes this sleek robot accessible to anyone who needs their home stocked or sorted remotely without having an actual person come into contact with any items at all. It can also provide security and a window to the outside world for older adults or shut-ins with its video chat features.
The home monitoring robot can patrol your premises while you’re away or help with household tasks. And Amazon Astro knows who its master is because it has facial recognition technology built right in.
Amazon Astro is capable of performing various tasks around your house — including tracking you, as well! It uses its facial recognition technology to identify who’s inside the premises while keeping an eye out during monitoring sessions.
Astro improvement
When testing out its new robot, Amazon found that it had several limitations. To solve these problems, Amazon turned to Google’s mapping technology, even though it lacks some key features such as indoor navigation capabilities or 3D scanning for accurate map data capturing in tight spaces like under furniture. But this was no problem since all of the necessary information gets sent back from Amsat via WiFi signals once completed.
The patrol feature enables Astro to periodically move through a customer’s home when set to Home or Away. Customers can customize how often they want an automatic loop of their place monitored by the tracking system. Then they can choose the videos recorded during these visits. They can download the videos onto the device and save those 10-second clips into Ring’s encrypted cloud storage (Ring is also owned by Amazon), so only the person has access.
What if you had an Astro-dog that could follow anyone it met, no matter where they went? What would happen then? Would your pet try to nose-scan them before following the person’s facial features for identification purposes or just stay by their side all day long as a loyal friend and protector of sorts?
Astro robot potential threats
This cute little bot is designed to assist with tasks like moving packages and tidying up homes. But Astro also comes equipped with an adorable face that is just begging to invade your privacy. Security experts warn that by getting this helpful assistant robot, you’re giving Amazon a front-row seat into your life.
Amazon has a poor reputation for privacy, and Amazon Astro sounds like terrible news, even on paper. Security experts are concerned about many security flaws in leaked documents and warn that Amazon would not protect your data adequately with this product.
Let’s have a close look at the issues we can face with this Astro robot.
Privacy breach
The use of the device would allow Amazon to monitor your home in a way they have never done before. The corporation has an anti-privacy reputation, which makes us worry that our most personal space is under their surveillance. Even more so with this new product, data collection about what goes inside homes — biometric information included — may be available for Amazon’s perusal.
Security warning
The possibility of a cyberattack is always present with the Internet of Things. It is possible to hack into these devices remotely, and an attacker could see all of your data. These are like break-ins at home! For example, some people have had their thermostats turned up too high or been falsely identified by hackers to mess with them further.
Security sense
On the other hand, Amazon Astro can be an excellent tool for your home security. The robot can provide an easy way to monitor and patrol an entrance when you are at home or remotely. However, some flaws make it less than ideal. For example, its imperfect recognition mechanisms might not work as they should. Additionally, if lost on your premises or too far away from where you need coverage, then this device could become useless at best, which can lull users into having a false sense of security.
Choose wisely
Like many tech devices, Amazon’s Astro comes with a cost beyond its monetary price tag. Using it means getting a great degree of convenience for many daily tasks and the ability to see what’s going on in your home when you’re not there. But it may also push us all closer to living in a surveillance state. It’s your choice.
Images: Amazon
When will Amazon Astro finally be available? It was supposed to have been out before the end of 2021. The delay of release aside, the privacy laws such as the concern with the Astro – needs to be updated with Section 230 so all these tech companies aren’t as powerful as the government in impacting our lives. Just as with every other major legal issue from corporate law to InjuryLawRights for accident victims, people are entitled to basic levels of privacy in what data is collected.