Amazon unveils its new home robot, Astro.

The company demonstrated this by ordering Astro to mimic the music – known as the beatbox. At command, the robot lifted its head and performed expressive movements while playing rhythms of hip-hop music.

Amazon was also keen to anticipate any privacy concerns.

She said Astro can be set with the “no entry” feature, which prevents it from going into certain areas, or the “do not disturb” feature.

It is also equipped with buttons to turn off cameras and microphones, but this loses the ability to move around.

The little robot is also equipped with a “periscope” camera, similar to those used in submarines, which comes out of its head and extends upwards. Amazon showed an example of its use by checking to see if the gas stove was still burning after residents left the house.

The tech and retail giant has confirmed that the robot, priced at $ 999.99, could help the elderly.

“Astro is a bold move from Amazon, but one that makes sense given its expertise in robotics and its desire to integrate more closely into the daily lives of consumers,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight.

But unlike some competitors, Amazon is “ready to bring highly experimental products to market” and survey customer feedback, Wood said.

“Providing products that look like something out of a science fiction novel makes Amazon an innovative company, from the perspective of consumers and investors,” he added.

Amazon said the robot would be ready to ship to consumers later this year, but only in the United States. After a limited trial period, its price will drop to $ 1,449.99.

“I think Astro will be sold within minutes when it becomes available in the US market,” said Wood.

The company has been known for making sometimes unusual smart home technologies, such as the Alexa-controlled microwave, since 2018.

And last year, Amazon grabbed attention with an internal warning drone. The plane – known as the “Always Home Cam” – flies automatically from its launch pad if it detects a possible intrusion into the house, and flies around the house to check on the situation while playing a live recording. of what he observes. But the plane was not released or other details were revealed last year.

Instead, Amazon said on Tuesday it has decided to open a limited list of invitations to first-time buyers of the plane, but did not specify a date for its wide availability in the market.

Other devices revealed include the Amazon Glow, a video communications device capable of projecting an “interactive touchscreen” onto the floor or table in front of the device.

The idea behind this is to get kids involved on long video calls as they can play games or draw on the 19 inch screen displayed while the video call is in progress. Loved ones on the other end can also interact through a tablet app.

In one example, Amazon said kids could “scan” a favorite toy with the Glow Camera and turn it into a puzzle to reassemble.

Among the new features announced are: