Amazon said it represented a first step into home robotics. “In five to 10 years we believe every home will have at least one robot that becomes a part of [daily life],” said Dave Limp, its devices chief.
The company claimed the robot would have particular value to elderly users by helping them stay in touch with family members through video calls.
Amazon, which has been a leader in home smart speakers since it launched the Echo in 2014, has been rumoured to be working on a home robot for several years but is believed to have struggled with areas such as how it navigates around the home and deals with obstacles such as pets.
The company said it had built privacy-preserving features into the robot, such as designating areas of the house where it can not go, limiting it at certain times of the day, and turning cameras and microphones off.
Amazon sees its devices partly as a way to sell subscription services such as its security system, Ring Pro Protect, and “Alexa Together”, designed to make it easier to keep track of elderly relatives.
