It is named after the Jetsons’ dog and it makes perfect sense, as it is a home robot that’s a mix of mobile security camera, information service, and entertainment center on wheels. We list below its main features and functionalities. As it is endowed with its own personality, having a conversation with Astro is similar to having a conversation with the virtual assistant Alexa. In addition, its design resembles a dog, although its body is more like those carts used by cleaning crews around the world.
Astro has the following characteristics:
10-inch touchscreen; Stereo speakers; USB Type C port and two digital cameras, one integrated to the sensitive screen with 5 MP and the other with a resolution of 12 MP; An infrared sensor at the end of a retractable periscope.
In addition, it provides several functions, such as:
Mobile security camera; Information service; Entertainment center on wheels.
It has a combination of software and artificial intelligence to suit its owners so it can follow you while you are walking around the house. It works connected to the Wi-Fi network and has a Snapdragon CPU inside, powerful enough to run an operating system based on Fire OS and Linux.
Your safety on wheels
With Ring Protect Pro, you can configure Astro to autonomously patrol your home when you’re away. It will proactively investigate when an event is detected and automatically save video clips to Ring’s cloud storage, which you can review from anywhere in the Ring or Astro apps.
Still, it is capable of reaching coverage of 139 square meters and can store up to 47 hours of video captured by other Ring devices on a 64 GB microSD card. It can, for example, send an alert if it recognizes a stranger in the place. To reinforce the security issue, it has Alexa Guard (available only in the US), in which it is possible to hear fire or gas alarms, and even the sound of breaking glass, and notify the user instantly. Astro was developed thinking about ways it could be useful. Thus, the responsible team understood that he should have some basic functions, such as helping with family communication and taking care of their home. It is able to recognize the place it is in and manages to avoid accidents such as falling down a stairwell and even avoiding obstacles.
This is possible because it is capable of mapping the environment in real-time, as it has a SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) system. Adding to all that, it also has Visual ID, as well as Echo Show 15. This way, it is possible to identify which person in the house is interacting with it. This interaction and Astro movements were designed in a way that would look as natural as possible.
Some of the ways Astro can be used at home
1. Bring Alexa to you at home
In addition, it can accompany you to every room in the house, while playing your favorite shows, podcasts, or music. And there’s more! It can also send you reminders, notify you that a timer has gone off, take a family photo and notify you of incoming calls from Alexa.
2. Helps you take care of your family members
With Astro, it is possible to remotely care for elderly relatives and family members. When using Astro with Alexa Together, family members can set reminders and receive alerts to give caregivers the assurance that their family members are active and moving in their day. In addition, Alexa Together also gives you access to a 24/7 professional emergency helpline. From the beginning of next year, Alexa Together will also allow multiple people to support a family member. That way, even close neighbors can be added to the support system so they can check on a customer’s family member in case of an emergency.
3. Keep track of what happens in your home from afar
When you’re away, Astro helps provide the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is safe. If you want, you can check if you left the stove on or even confirm that you have all the necessary ingredients for dinner in the pantry while you’re still in the store. For that, you can send Astro to check it out or use its built-in periscope camera to take a look. That way, it will show you a live view of the spaces in the house, through the Astro app, or even send alerts if it detects an unrecognized person. With Alexa Guard, Astro can also detect the sound of a smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, or broken glass, and send an alert to your phone.
