[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce company, unveiled its multifunctional home robot 'Astro' on the 28th (local time).
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and others, Amazon introduced the home robot Astro equipped with the AI voice assistant Alexa, cameras, and various sensors during an online new product launch event on the same day.
Astro is a robot the size of a small dog, measuring 60 cm in length and weighing 9 kg, which can move around the house on three wheels and perform tasks instructed by the user.
When the user is away from home, Astro can detect intrusion attempts and immediately send an alert to the user. Users can also use Astro's security monitoring function to check the status of heaters or home appliances inside the house while they are outside.
Additionally, the voice assistant Alexa installed in Astro can learn family faces and habits, and there is a storage space that allows Astro to deliver snacks, drinks, and various items to people in other rooms.
However, the digital technology watchdog Electronic Frontier Foundation raised privacy concerns, warning that hackers could use Astro to secretly spy on users' homes or that police might access Astro through search warrants.
Matthew Guariglia, a policy analyst at the foundation, pointed out, "The surveillance cameras installed in Astro can be as useful as security cameras inside the home, but the problem is that such devices come with (security) vulnerabilities."
In response, Vice President Limp stated that users can turn off Astro's cameras and microphones, and there are misuse prevention features such as alerts if someone tries to remotely access the cameras, dismissing the possibility of privacy invasion.
Astro is priced at $999.99 (approximately 1.2 million KRW), and Amazon announced that it plans to sell Astro exclusively to people who receive invitations from the company within this year.
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