Amazon’s Astro home robot remains elusive six months after debut

Six months later, Astro is tough to find. Hardly anyone is talking about the robot – which is confounding because early adopters typically love to share their experiences online. — AFP

Last September, Amazon.com Inc debuted a household robot named Astro that was supposed to usher in – or at least point to – a Jetsons-like future.

Fifty-three minutes into a press conference otherwise focused on new Ring cameras, a thermostat and a giant Echo speaker with a wall screen, the three-wheeled robot rolled out on stage at the command of Amazon devices chief Dave Limp. With Astro looking on, Limp ticked off the gadget’s attributes: advanced computer vision that lets the bot know where it is, home monitoring, media playback and the ability to summon emergency help for elders.