Amazon Astro Privacy

You can review the following Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about how Amazon Astro is designed to protect your privacy.

1. What is Astro?

Astro is a new kind of robot that uses Intelligent Motion to move autonomously and help you connect with the people and things you care about. You can interact with Astro in a variety of ways. For example:

• You can control Astro with your voice using the wake word "Astro." If you want Astro to follow you, simply say, "Astro, follow me." Astro uses Alexa Voice Services to process and respond to your voice requests. Learn more about Alexa.
• You can use your favorite Alexa features on Astro—like music, communications, videos, and more.
• You can use live view in the Astro app to check in on your home or business, send Astro to specific locations, and more.
• When you're home, Astro can hang out nearby.
• If you create a visual ID, Astro can find you to deliver something, like a reminder. You can also ask Astro to find someone who has created a visual ID, to do things like bring them an item you put in Astro's cargo bin.
• You can configure Astro to detect certain kinds of events you select, like when Astro detects an unrecognized person. If you have an applicable subscription, you can also enable autonomous patrols and investigations of detected events, and configure Astro to automatically stream videos to Ring's cloud storage.

2. What is Astro for Business?

Astro for Business is Astro’s security solutions designed to help you protect small to medium businesses. It lets you check in on your business from anywhere and help to safeguard your business assets. You can add additional subscriptions (such as Ring Protect Pro, Astro Secure, and Virtual Security Guard) for more robust security solutions based on your specific needs.

3. Is Astro always streaming video when it moves?

No. The sensor data that Astro uses to navigate your indoor space is processed on-device and not sent to the cloud. Astro only streams video or images to the cloud when you use features like live view in the Astro app, video calling with Alexa Communications, or video recording and storage by Ring if you are a Ring Protect subscriber. See the FAQs “How do I use Live View in the Astro app?” and “How can I use my Ring subscription to automatically record video clips?” below, and the Alexa Communications FAQs to learn more about those features.

4. How do I know when Astro is streaming audio or video to the cloud?

Astro is designed to make it easy for you to understand what it is doing at any given moment. Astro has an easy-to-see indicator light on top of its periscope to help you understand when it is streaming video or audio to the cloud. For example, the indicator light on top of Astro's periscope will turn green whenever video is streamed to the cloud, like when live view is in progress. You may also see a picture-in-picture view of your own video or another on-screen indicator. When Astro detects the wake word, a visual indicator will appear to signal that Astro is recording your voice request to stream to the cloud. For example, the indicator light on top of Astro's periscope will turn blue and Astro's eyes may light up blue.

5. How do I interact with Astro using my voice?

Astro uses Alexa Voice Services so you can ask questions and make requests using your voice. By default, Astro is designed to detect only your chosen wake word(s), and no audio is stored or sent to the cloud unless the device detects the wake word. Astro can detect up to two wake words at a time (Astro and optionally another supported wake word such as Alexa, Echo, Amazon, or Computer). You can use your chosen wake words to ask Alexa a question, such as "what is the weather today in New York?", or to ask Astro to do something, such as "go to the kitchen." You can also use the "voice" button in the Astro app to make voice requests. When Astro detects the wake word, or you use the voice button in the Astro app, a visual or audible indicator will signal that audio is being recorded to stream to Amazon's cloud so we can process and respond to your request. As with other Alexa-enabled devices, you can review and delete voice recordings by visiting  https://www.amazon.com/alexaprivacysettings. Astro for Business is automatically set to “Don’t save recordings” in Alexa Privacy settings such that voice recordings are not retained when you use Alexa on Astro for Business. Click here to learn more about Alexa, including how to manage voice recordings associated with your account, and click here to view the Alexa Terms of Use.

6. Can I turn off Astro's microphones, cameras, or sensors?

Yes. Astro is equipped with microphones, cameras, and sensors, so it's able to react to its environment and respond to your requests at any time. Like Echo devices, Astro has a Microphones/Cameras Off button. When this button is pressed, the power to the microphones, bezel and periscope cameras, and navigation and depth sensors is disconnected and a dedicated red light is illuminated. When the microphones, cameras, and sensors are turned off, the device cannot move or capture audio or video.

7. How does Intelligent Motion work?

Astro uses advanced technology called Intelligent Motion to autonomously and safely navigate, using information from its navigation and depth sensors to avoid obstacles, orient the screen in your direction, and more. These technologies enable Astro to do things like move from room to room and follow you, using on-device processing to analyze sensor inputs.

8. What happens when Astro explores my space?

When Astro explores your space, it sends mapping information derived from its navigation sensors to the cloud. Amazon processes this data and related information to create and store your map and to provide and improve your Astro experience and Amazon’s services. For example, you can ask Alexa to send Astro to a particular space, or view a rendering of your map in the Astro app, where you can edit room names or boundaries. Map data, including the information used to create the rendering that you can see in your Astro app, is encrypted in transit to Amazon’s cloud where it is securely stored, with technical safeguards in place to limit access to it. Map data does not contain actual images or video streamed from Astro.

9. Can I review and delete my Map?

Astro requires a map to navigate. You can view a rendering of your map in the Astro app, where you can add out of bounds zones, see information such as a heat map of wifi signal strength across your space, and more. You can also use the Astro app to delete this version of your map at any time. If you want to continue using Astro, you can create a new map by taking Astro back to its charger and going to Settings → Map Setup on the device.

10. Can I keep Astro from navigating into certain areas?

During setup, you can close the door to any area that you do not want Astro to explore. Once Astro has explored your space, you can also use the Astro app to create an out of bounds zone over an area it has explored if there is somewhere you would prefer Astro not enter, like a closet. Out of bounds zones let Astro know where it is not allowed to go.

11. How does the Hangout feature work?

Astro tries its best to be part of the household—and that means staying nearby in case it’s needed. Astro tries to hang out where it can be of most use to you and others in your household based on factors like where it was recently used. If you would prefer Astro not to hang out, the hangout feature can be disabled in Settings on the device.

12. How can I control where Astro goes?

While Astro can move autonomously, it is designed with multiple ways for you to control where it goes. For example:

• You can make voice requests like, "Astro, follow me," "Astro, turn around," or "Astro, go to the kitchen.
• You can remotely control Astro using the Astro app. For example, you can begin a live view and tap on the screen to tell Astro to go to that location. You can also send Astro to a viewpoint that you have created.
• You can set out of bounds zones in the Astro app to designate areas where you do not want Astro to go (such as your bedroom at home or fitting rooms in your store).
• You can say "Astro, go to your charger" or simply "Astro, go away."
• You can disable the hangout feature in Settings on the device at home.
• You can turn on Do Not Disturb, or set a Do Not Disturb schedule. When Do Not Disturb is on, Astro will only proactively find you to notify you of timers, alarms, and reminders. You can also turn on Night Mode if you would like Astro to stay on its charger until summoned.
• You can press the Microphones/Cameras Off button to disconnect power to the microphones, bezel and periscope cameras, and navigation and depth sensors. When the navigation and depth sensors are turned off, the device will not be able to move.
• You can say "Astro, stop" to ask Astro to stop moving.

13. When does Astro look at me and follow me?

When you say the wake word, Astro automatically rotates and points its screen towards you, using on-device processing of microphone and other sensor inputs to determine which direction to turn and how to orient the screen. For certain requests, Astro can then continue to stay oriented towards you. For example, if you start a video call or ask to play music or video, the screen will pan and tilt and Astro will orient itself to continue facing you as you move. You can also ask Astro to follow you, and it can move with you, using Intelligent Motion to navigate around obstacles and to keep its screen oriented towards you to avoid losing track of you.

14. How do person detection and visual ID work on Astro?

When Astro detects a person in its field of view, it may send a signal to the cloud to provide enhanced features, such as initiating a Routine you configured that causes Astro to display a greeting whenever it sees a person. You can also enable Astro to recognize your face and provide you with a more personalized experience if you choose to create a visual ID. For example, you can say “Astro, remind me to call mom at 3 pm” and have Astro find you to deliver the reminder at that time, see in the Astro app when you were last seen by Astro, or configure a Routine that is triggered when Astro sees you. You can also create a visual ID for your child, so Astro can do things like find them and deliver personalized timers when Astro recognizes them. Visual ID uses images of your face to create a numeric representation of your facial characteristics and updates this representation over time to improve Astro’s ability to recognize you. Astro stores these images and numeric representation on-device. When a person is within Astro’s field of view, the device uses on-device processing to attempt to match that person with the visual IDs of enrolled users. No images or video are stored in the cloud to provide visual ID. You can delete your visual ID at any time through Settings on your Astro device. If your face is not recognized for 18 months, we will automatically delete your visual ID. Deleting your visual ID will also delete the images used to create it. Learn more about visual ID. Visual ID and features based on visual ID may not be available in all locations.

15. What is Amazon Kids on Astro?

Amazon Kids is an experience designed for families with children under 13. You can turn on Amazon Kids for your Astro device through Astro's on-device Settings or by visiting Settings → Amazon Kids in the Alexa app. Amazon Kids allows your child to interact with Astro and receive a kid-friendly Alexa experience. For example, Alexa will play music, answer questions, read stories, tell jokes, and more with younger ears in mind. If you do not want to turn on Amazon Kids through Settings on Astro but still want Astro to give kid-friendly responses to your child, you can create a voice ID for your child, and Astro will automatically give kid-friendly responses and provide the Amazon Kids experience when Alexa recognizes their voice. Note that Alexa may not always recognize your child’s voice. When Alexa does not recognize your child’s voice and Amazon Kids is not turned on, your child will not receive the Amazon Kids experience and your parental controls will not be applied. Click here to learn more about Amazon Kids on Alexa, including how voice recordings are used and how you can manage your child's Amazon Kids experience. You can also enroll your child in visual ID, enabling Astro to find them, deliver personalized timers or alarms, and more when Amazon Kids is enabled.

Consistent with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, we require permission from a parent before certain kid services like Amazon Kids on Astro can be used. Unless you have granted permission previously, you'll be asked to give permission the first time you attempt to set up Amazon Kids on Astro or before you can complete creation of a visual ID or voice ID for your child. After you've given permission, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

You can review or change permissions by visiting the Manage Parental Consent page on Amazon.com or by contacting Customer Service https://www.amazon.com/contact-us.

To learn more, please visit our Children's Privacy Disclosure.

16. How do I use Live View in the Astro app?

You can use live view in the Astro App to remotely access the feed from Astro's bezel or periscope cameras, send Astro to specific locations, enable 2-way audio and video, save photos and video clips to Amazon Photos, and more. To begin using live view, you must both sign in to the Astro app and pair your mobile device with Astro. You can unpair a mobile device through Settings on your Astro device to remove that mobile device's access to live view.

When you start a live view in the Astro app, the device will show a visual indicator to notify people nearby that a live view session is about to begin. There will also be a short transition and an option for people nearby to cancel the video stream, except when Astro is set to Away mode or actively investigating a detected event. When live view begins, the indicator light on the top of Astro's periscope will be green to indicate that video streaming is in progress, and the screen will display a picture-in-picture view of what Astro is streaming. The live view can be ended by using a button on Astro's screen.

17. How can Astro help me monitor my space?

Astro has three monitoring modes: Away, Home, and Disarmed. You can configure Astro to detect certain types of events when it is set to Away or Home, such as when an unrecognized person is present. Unless you subscribe to an applicable subscription and enable the patrol feature, Astro will remain in a stationary position when it is set to Away or Home. When one of your selected events is detected, Astro can send you a Smart Alert via a mobile notification that allows you to check in using live view. Astro does not detect your selected events when set to Disarmed.

18. How can I use my Ring subscription to automatically record video clips?

If you are a Ring Protect subscriber and have linked your Ring and Amazon accounts, you can stream and save recordings from Astro in Ring's cloud storage. You can configure Astro to stream video if it is set to Away or Home mode and one of your selected events is detected (including a short duration before the event)—such as when the device determines that a detected person is unrecognized. These videos are associated with your Ring account, saved in Ring's cloud storage, and automatically deleted according to the storage period of your Ring plan. You can review and delete these video recordings in either the Astro or Ring apps. Learn more about how Ring's products and services are designed to protect your privacy.

19. How can I access Astro's enhanced monitoring features?

With an applicable subscription, you can also enable Astro's patrol and investigation features. The patrol feature enables Astro to periodically move through your space when it is set to Home or Away, excluding out of bounds zones. With an applicable subscription, you can customize the frequency of patrol loops and choose to stream and save in Ring's cloud storage a 10-second, 360˚ video of each room Astro visits while on patrol. Astro automatically selects view-optimized scanpoints in each room, extends its periscope, and rotates in place to record these videos before moving to the next location. Note that Astro may periodically return to its charger between patrol loops.

The investigation feature enables Astro to react to your selected events by moving to get a better look and, if configured, streaming to and saving video in Ring's cloud storage. Astro can investigate events like people it detects who it does not recognize, sounds detected by Alexa Emergency Assist on Astro or other supported devices, or events detected by your linked Ring Alarm system. In some cases, Astro investigates by moving towards the source of an event—such as by following an unrecognized person or by moving towards the location of an Echo device that detected the sound of glass breaking (if you have added it to an Alexa Smart Home group that is also part of Astro's map), or the location of compatible Ring Alarm motion or contact sensors that detected a triggered event if you use Astro for Business. In other cases, Astro investigates by performing a general loop.

20. When Astro checks the status of an object, what happens to the pictures Astro takes?

You can teach Astro about objects, such as windows and doors, and have Astro check their status. When you teach Astro an object, Astro will take a picture for you to approve. The approved picture will be saved on the device, as well as in the Astro app timeline and your Amazon Photos account. When you ask Astro to check on an object, it will take pictures that you can view in the Astro app timeline and your Amazon Photos account. You can delete these pictures from the Astro app timeline or your Amazon Photos account. With an applicable subscription, Astro can also check on objects during patrols. You can see and delete these pictures in the Astro app timeline.

For more information, visit our whitepaper here.