NEW DELHI: Amazon will create a full-fledged robotics software development centre in India, dedicated to the growth of its consumer robotics division, after launching a new type of house robot called Astro in markets such as the United States last year.
According to Amazon, Astro was the first robot from this section, and more are on the way. On June 2nd, it will host a public virtual event called ‘All About Astro’ to discuss its consumer robotics ambitions.
“We launched our first consumer robot last year, but it won’t be our last.” This new Consumer Robotics Software Development Center will aid in the growth of our consumer robotics sector while also attracting top people to work on cutting-edge technology. In a blog post, Ken Washington, Vice President, Consumer Robotics, Amazon, stated, “India is an innovation hotspot; establishing the centre here will help Amazon create better consumer robotics experiences for customers worldwide.”
What kind of robots Amazon plans to introduce in the future is unknown. Astro is a home assistance robot that measures about two feet tall and weighs slightly under ten kg. It has cameras and wheels, and it can follow people around the house. It may also be used for home security and uses facial recognition technology to detect different members of a household.
Amazon isn’t the only company to consider robotic house assistants. Xiaomi has experimented with companion robots with the Xiaomi CyberDog, while Sony sells a robot dog called Aibo in areas such as Japan. The difference between these and Astro is that Amazon merged several elements from smart speakers, sensors, and other devices into a single mobile robot. Astro also includes a 10-inch screen that can be used to display information, but at other times displays two artificially produced eyes.