Amazon has announced that Astro, its home-monitoring robot, is entering into the field of business security. Buckle up, SMBs — Astro for Business is here to take care of everything, minus the shrunken uniform, sunglasses and donuts.
Astro - from Household Buddy to Security Guard
Shopping and tech giant Amazon has announced that Astro, the household robot, is shedding its domestic demeanor and getting down to the business of securing …. businesses. With AI-driven person recognition, an HD periscope camera with night vision, and the ability to surveil 5,000 square feet — Astro for Business is no ordinary security guard; it's a robotic sentinel, ala Robocop. But without the gun and harrowing back story.
Astro's Dynamic Patrols
According to Amazon, Astro pirouettes through business premises with the grace of a dancer, all powered by, you guessed it, Artificial Intelligence (AI ) – at least that’s the plan -, mapping areas up to 5,000 square feet. Its choreography includes scheduled patrols, custom routes, and an eagle eye for blind spots. We’re envisaging coming in to find it crashed at the bottom of a flight of stairs…
The Astro Secure Subscription
For the true connoisseurs of security, the Astro Secure subscription elevates the experience. Autonomous patrols, custom zones, and vigilant ears tuned for detecting smoke alarms or shattering glass—Astro takes security to a level where peace of mind meets cutting-edge technology.
“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,” said Anthony Robson, head of product for Amazon Astro.
Real-World Testimonials
We’ll sign off before we begin to sound like a telesales commercial, but we’ll leave you with this: “Having Astro has helped me sleep better at night,” said Jonathan Hebel, chief operating officer of Hapa Group and part of the Astro for Business preview program. “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.”
If you’re imagining shining white teeth, a “ping” sound and a thumbs up all set over elevator music, then you’re not alone.
In any case, Astro does seem like an interesting way to boost up your security a little. And it’s possibly more effective than your average “mall cop.”
