Samsung unveils new 'AI robot companion Ballie’ that follows you around home
Samsung recently introduced an innovative AI robot companion for the home, at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
The original, tennis ball-sized called 'Ballie' was introduced back in 2020 but the feel of the robot didn't sit well with people as they described it as a creepy and 'inherently sinister.'
Four years later, Ballie has grown in size and presents itself as a friendly and helpful digital buddy for the home.
At the recent CES, Samsung showcased a video of Ballie's various abilities.
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With its minimalist design and sunny yellow colour, Ballie is designed to roll around your home like a loyal pet - responding to requests.
Fully integrated with AI, the digital buddy goes beyond that of digital assistants we see from Amazon's Alexa to more hands-on tasks.
Samsung stated: 'Ballie has been revamped with new advanced features to help users intelligently navigate their lives.'
In terms of smart abilities, it can recognise its owner, dodge obstacles, and even react to specific scenarios – like summoning a robot vacuum if it spots a spill.
Ballie is designed to help owners out in their daily routine, from anything from a personal assistant to a home office mate.
As a fitness assistant, Ballie's technology allows it to project content onto walls, including home workout videos to meditation sessions. It also has a dual-mode projection for phone calls, minimising interruptions during activities.
The Samsung robot can also keep pets entertained whilst owners are away, as well as send live, visual updates to a smartphone.
As Ballie has an onboard camera, it can track whether you're standing or sitting and will adjust the projection accordingly. Movie night might not have to be done from the couch anymore.
Samsung added: 'Ballie acts as a personal home assistant, autonomously driving around the home to complete various tasks.'
'By connecting to and managing home appliances, Ballie can provide a helping hand to users in many situations — continually learning from users’ patterns and habits to provide smarter, more personalised services.'
Samsung has assured that the AI technology will also keep personal information secure whilst providing an individualised experience.
Sebastian Seung, executive vice president and chief research scientist at Samsung Electronics, said: 'We believe AI is the future of personalised care.
'We see on-device AI as central to truly personalised experiences. On-device AI puts you in control of your information and protects your privacy while still delivering the power of personalisation.'
An official price for Ballie is yet to be announced, but Samsung hopes it will be available for purchase later this year.