New Delhi: After launching a new type of home robot called Astro in markets like the US last year, Amazon will now open a full-fledged robotics software development center in India, dedicated to the growth of its consumer robotics division.
Amazon says Astro was the first robot in this division, and it will bring more. It is hosting a virtual event called ‘All About Astro’ for the public on June 2 to discuss its efforts in the consumer robotics sector.
“Last year we unveiled our first consumer robot, but it certainly won’t be our last. This new consumer robotics software development center will provide top talent to support our growing consumer robotics division and work on world-class technology products. India is an innovation hub; having a center here will help Amazon create a better consumer robotics experience for customers around the world,” Ken Washington, Vice President, Consumer Robotics, Amazon, said in a blog post .
It’s unclear what kind of robots Amazon plans to bring in the future. Astro is a home assistant robot that weighs just under 10 kilograms and is about two feet high. It is equipped with wheels and cameras, and can follow people around the house. It also uses facial recognition technology to locate different members of the household, and can be used for home security purposes as well.
Amazon isn’t the first company to see a home assistant robot. Chinese home electronics firm Xiaomi has explored companion robots with the Xiaomi CyberDog, while Sony also sells a robot dog called Aibo in markets such as Japan. However, the difference between these and Astro is that Amazon combined various features from smart speakers, sensors, etc., and put them all in one mobile robot. The Astro also has a 10-inch screen, which can be used to display information, but at other times shows two artificially created eyes.