Amazon announced this last Tuesday (28) a lot of new technological products. in addition to Echo Show 15, the company launched products like flying camera e smart thermostat.
Another big news was the Astro home robot, with functions aimed at personal care. However, it looks like this device is a fiasco. At least that’s what some people who worked on its development have just claimed.
In an interview with Vice magazine, Astro developers stated that the robot is “terrible”, a true “disaster that is not ready for launch”, and that the idea that it could be used for care of elderly people – as advertised in advertising of the Amazon — it’s “nonsense nonsense.”
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Also, Astro is apparently not able to handle stairs, which may explain the modus operandi Amazon in sales of the novelty.
Currently you can’t just buy the robot, you need to request an invite and fill out a survey to indicate whether your home would be a good fit for Astro (which includes a question about the style of stairs you have).
It’s possible that Amazon is trying to put these robots in the best-case scenario, to see if they can survive. The source claims the Astro “throws itself” from the stairs “if the opportunity arises” and its materials are fragile for a device worth more than $1,000.
In a statement sent to The Verge, Amazon sought to defend itself by stating that the revealed wills are old and do not do justice to Astro’s current performance:
These characterizations of Astro performance, mast and safety systems are simply inaccurate. Astro has undergone rigorous testing for both quality and security, including tens of thousands of hours of testing with beta participants. This includes comprehensive testing of Astro’s advanced security system, which is designed to avoid objects, detect stairs and stop the device wherever and whenever necessary.
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The problem, however, seems to go beyond performance issues. Astro developer meeting documents and videos leaked by Vice show that the robot is still doing research with its facial recognition systems and the function of following people when it doesn’t recognize them.
The little robot apparently isn’t very good with facial recognition, which can lead him to annoyingly follow people he’s supposed to know. One of the developers who worked on Astro’s creation called its data collection “a privacy nightmare”.
What is your opinion on the subject? Is Astro really a fiasco?
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