On September 28th (US time), Amazon will hold an online presentation to present a variety of products and services, including the company's first robot "Astro" and the wall-mountable "Echo Show 15". I showed off. At this time, only the Echo Show 15 is scheduled to be released in Japan, and other products are undecided. There was a wide variety of content, but here I would like to introduce the top three presentations that caught my attention.
1st place Astro, a household robot that runs, dances and watches
Astro is the most popular robot. This robot, which appeared at the end of the presentation, had the momentum to knock out all the presentations up to that point. A charming body with two large wheels (one wheel on the rear wheel) and a display on the face. An illustration that imitates both eyes is displayed on the screen, and it creates an expression.
Astro can autonomously run freely in the room. The interior is mapped by deep learning using a neural network, and an algorithm called "SLAM (Simultaneous localization and mapping)" is used to determine one's own position, enabling autonomous driving even in constantly changing indoor environments, such as the movement of people and animals. It seems to make it possible.
Run around obstacles and don't fall down stairs. It is also possible to recognize irregular movements of people and animals and stop suddenly, recognize and follow specific people, display reminders and make calls. There is also a can holder on the back, and it seems that it can also operate to deliver to a designated person.
It seems that these are processed on Astro, which enables quick processing. After recognizing the shape of your house, you can block out designated areas, or manually turn off your microphone and camera to protect your privacy.
The camera is located on the top of the head and physically sticks out in a literal periscope fashion. This makes it possible to shoot while avoiding obstacles. The camera can also monitor the room when you are out. Astro itself can also be configured to keep an eye on your room while you're out, alerting you when it sees an unrecognizable person or sounds like breaking glass.
Positioned as "the world's first Alexa-equipped home robot", you can use Alexa's functions by talking to Astro. You can also play music, control smart home products like lights, and more. It also supports shooting using the camera and video calling using the microphone. By the way, in the demonstration at the recital, I called "Astro" and performed voice operation.
The existing smart display "Echo Show 10" has a rotating display that allows you to monitor the room, but this Astro has expanded this further. It has become a robot that also supports autonomous movement by AI. The company claims that "in 5 to 10 years, there will be at least one robot in the home" and appeals Astro as that robot.
The price is $1,499.99 in the US, but first it will be sold as a "Day 1 Edition" for $999.99. It may not be fully functional yet. It comes with a six-month usage right for the monitoring service "Ring Protect Pro" provided in the United States, and will be sold by invitation only. It will be available in the second half of 2021.
There are likely to be various hurdles, such as the difference in housing environments between Japan and the United States, and the existence of monitoring services provided in the United States.
2nd Place: Echo Show 15 that can be wall mounted
The Echo Show 15 is the latest model of Echo Show products equipped with a large 15.6-inch full HD touch-enabled display. Unlike the conventional stationary type, it can be installed on a wall or with an optional stand. It is a smart display that can be used both vertically and horizontally.
Body size is 402 x 35 x 252 mm (width x depth x height / when in landscape orientation), about 2.2 kg body, 5 megapixel camera, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compliant dual Equipped with a wireless LAN that supports bands (2.4/5 GHz). Unfortunately, it does not support Wi-Fi 6. The speaker is equipped with 40mm full-range drivers x 2.
So far, the Echo Show series equipped with a display has been lined up with 5.5, 8, and 10.1 types, but it is the largest among them. The camera and speaker specs are not as good as the Echo Show 10, but it has a large screen that can be hung on the wall or used vertically. The large screen also works well for streaming videos.
Of course, Alexa is installed, and various voice controls are possible. The home screen, which makes use of the large screen, displays a list of photos, calendars, to-do lists, etc. By editing calendars and memos with the whole family, you can share information with the whole family, and you can also control compatible smart home appliances from the screen.
When the camera recognizes a person, it will display a customized home screen for that person if they have registered their "Visual ID". View individual notes and calendars, and resume music that was playing.
In order to realize these functions, it is equipped with a newly developed processor, AZ2. We have enhanced computer vision and audio processing on the device more than ever before. It seems that the processing performance (TOPS) is 22 times higher than the previous model.
Use this to enhance Alexa's learning function. Alexa is equipped with a function that learns and suggests personal preferences from the person's questions.
In addition, it is equipped with a "Custom Sound Detection" function that recognizes the surrounding sounds. For example, if you let it learn the alarm that goes off when the refrigerator is left open for a long time, Alexa will notify you when it detects the same sound. By applying this, it may be possible to make settings such as learning the sound of an existing doorbell and notifying with Alexa when the sound rings.
US availability in the second half of 2021 for $249.99. The release date in Japan has not been clarified, but if you register your email address on Amazon.co.jp, you will be notified of the latest information. The price is 29,980 yen. A special stand sold separately is also scheduled to be released, but the price here is undecided.
It can be installed in the center of the room where the family gathers, or even if you are alone, you can make use of the large screen and use it as a sub-display in the bedroom.