Amazon Releases “Astro For Business:” A Personal AI Security Robot For Business, Described As ‘A Security Camera On Steroids’

The following is press release from Amazon, published November 15th:

Amazon today announced Astro for Business, a security solution for small and medium-sized businesses that combines robotics, smart security, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Customers can tailor Astro for Business with separately sold subscriptions that each provide incremental benefits when layered on top of each other. This includes Ring Protect Pro and Astro Secure, a new subscription offering advanced business security features, like smart alerts, custom patrol routes, and scheduled patrols.

Customers can also add Virtual Security Guard for additional professional monitoring capabilities. From checking in after hours to having Astro patrol and send alerts if something is amiss, Astro for Business gives business owners eyes in more places and peace of mind knowing that they can better protect their business.

Security continues to be a headache for business owners. According to the National Retail Federation, businesses have faced losses of nearly $100 billion in 2022. But traditional security solutions can be too static or expensive for what businesses need. We think Astro for Business can help with that.

We have been testing Astro in a variety of businesses and have seen firsthand how Astro’s intelligent motion helped provide visibility on blind spots and areas that existing stationary cameras couldn’t see, giving business owners peace of mind because their inventory and property are protected, even when they aren’t there.

Anthony Robson, head of product for Amazon Astro, said

Astro for Business is designed to give customers eyes on their business 24/7, even after they’ve gone home for the night. It can map up to 5,000 square feet, and customers can use live view, two-way talk, Astro’s HD periscope camera with night vision, and visual ID to receive unrecognized person smart alerts. Additional subscriptions offer enhanced security benefits when layered on top of each other.

• Ring Protect Pro: Subscribing to Ring Protect Pro lets customers save Astro for Business video history for up to 180 days and sync Astro for Business with Ring Alarm to link Ring Motion Detectors and window and door Ring Alarm Contact Sensors for alerts when a Ring Alarm is triggered.
• Astro Secure: A new subscription built specifically for business environments that enables Astro to patrol autonomously and lets customers create multiple security monitoring routes tailored to their business, with specific viewpoints and frequencies. Astro can also send customers smart alerts when it hears the sounds of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms or glass breaking, and with a synced Ring Alarm, Astro can also move autonomously to triggered sensors to investigate.
• Virtual Security Guard: For even more protection, adding a Virtual Security Guard subscription lets Rapid Response agents respond when Astro is in Home or Away mode. For example, if Astro detects an unrecognized person, hears the sound of glass breaking or a smoke or CO alarm, or receives an alert that a Ring Alarm sensor has been triggered, agents are alerted. The agents can then initiate Astro’s live view and remotely navigate the device to investigate further, and if needed, call emergency services.

Over the past year, customers have been testing Astro for Business across a range of businesses, including retail, manufacturing, health and wellness, food and beverage, and construction, and they have quickly adopted it as a reliable security service.

Having Astro in my business has been invaluable—it is a security camera on steroids. It moves quickly around the warehouse, and you can see when a forklift has been left in a dangerous position or if a door is unlocked. We even had a rear door blown open during a windstorm, and with Astro for Business, I was able to see it live, cancel police dispatch, and head down to close the door myself.

Said pilot participant James Mahon, president at Southern Oregon Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.

Chris Adkins, manager at Louisville Office Furniture, said, “I like that Astro has the ability to check on potential issues in real time and prevents the need to have cameras throughout my business. Even when there is no event, Astro has the capability to investigate in a way that traditional security devices can’t. This is a viable option to provide security for my business.”

Having Astro has helped me sleep better at night. We use industrial ovens that, if not turned off properly, can easily start a fire. I used to drive back to the office at all hours if I wasn’t confident they were shut down. Now with Astro, I’m able to check in via live view and triple-check that the ovens are off at any time—whether it’s 6 p.m. or 2 a.m.

Said Jonathan Hebel, chief operating officer of Hapa Group.

Customers can control Astro by using the Amazon Astro app, making it easy to check in remotely, communicate with employees, change patrol frequencies, and arm and disarm Astro.

Astro is built with multiple layers of privacy controls. Astro for Business does not retain voice recordings, and customers can easily turn off mics, cameras, and motion with one press of a button, as well as define out-of-bounds zones where Astro is not allowed to patrol.

Pricing and availability

Astro for Business is available for purchase today starting at $2,349.99. At purchase, customers will receive a free four-month trial of Ring Protect Pro ($20/month) and Astro Secure ($60/month), a $320 value. If subscribed to both Ring Protect Pro and Astro Secure, customers can also add Virtual Security Guard for $99/month. Astro for Business is only available in the U.S.

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AUTHOR COMMENTARY

Gizmodo author Dua Rashid blasted this stupid robot in an overview, writing: “Amazon just released a questionable-looking robot for patrolling businesses. Taking a page out of Wall-E’s design, Amazon’s new Astro for Business looks almost comical.”

“Having Astro in my business has been invaluable—it is a security camera on steroids.” -oh joy, just what we wanted to hear, right?!

This is just getting more and more dystopian – having these cutesy looking droids swivel around and report people to the secret police, is basically what’s coming next, and ding your social credit score if you say or do something wrong. And it’s even more creepy when you realize

It should be noted that in 2021 Amazon announced that their Rings and Echos will automatically link themselves together in a new proprietary network.

Also, is helping to replace physical workers by outfitting their fulfillment centers with hundreds of thousands of robots. SEE: Amazon To Test Humanoid Robot In Fulfillment Center, As Company Already Deploys 750,000 Other Robots

The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

Proverbs 21:25

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[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).

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