[CES2020] Samsung Electronics Unveils Intelligent Companion Robot 'Ballie'

[Asia Economy Reporter So-yeon Park] Kim Hyun-seok, President of Samsung Electronics' Consumer Electronics Division, took the stage as the keynote speaker at 'CES 2020,' the world's largest home appliance and IT exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA, introducing Samsung Electronics' latest technologies including the intelligent companion robot 'Ballie.'

On the 6th (local time), through the 'CES 2020' keynote speech, President Kim defined the next decade as the 'Age of Experiences' and stated, "In this era, spaces must be transformed and cities restructured according to diverse individual lifestyles," adding, "Samsung's human-centered innovation can make a significant contribution to solving these challenges."

During the speech, President Kim emphasized personalized care combining advanced hardware and artificial intelligence (AI) technology and unveiled the intelligent companion robot 'Ballie' for the first time.

Ballie, shaped like a ball and freely mobile, is a companion robot that recognizes and follows its user. It performs various roles such as security functions monitoring different areas of the home and home assistant functions linked with devices like smartphones. Its functions can be infinitely expanded through AI software updates to include fitness trainer, music player, conversational companion, and more.

President Kim said, "Ballie, which acts as a companion in personal life, is a good example that represents Samsung Electronics' robot research direction pursuing human-centered innovation."

He continued, "Most people expect not the ownership of a product itself but the positive life experiences such as convenience, stability, and enjoyment that the product brings," adding, "These individual demands will collectively drive technological innovation."

The keynote speech proceeded with several speakers following President Kim, introducing Samsung's latest technologies expanding from personal to home to city (Me-Home-City).

Sebastian Seung, Vice President of Samsung Research, introduced the cardiac disease rehabilitation program 'HeartWise.' HeartWise uses mobile devices to monitor the heart condition of chronic cardiac patients and connects them to timely medical care by specialists when abnormal signs occur.

Advanced innovative technologies transforming living spaces using AI, 5th generation (5G) communication, and augmented reality (AR) were also introduced.

Federico Casalegno, Head of Samsung North America Design Innovation Center, emphasized, "A home is like a living organism that responds and reacts to the user's needs," adding, "Since everyone has their own ideas about their home, personalized technology must be applied to homes."

He then demonstrated a user wearing the wearable walking-assist robot 'GEMS' receiving customized fitness training from a virtual personal trainer through AR glasses.

There was also an introduction to future kitchen space technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) refrigerator 'Family Hub' recommends recipes for easy cooking by creating customized diets for the family, and the AI assistant chef 'Samsung Bot Chef' helps with the cooking process using herbs grown by a home plant cultivator.

Samsung Electronics also shared its vision for smart cities. Referring to home IoT cases applied to Banpo 'Raemian Prestige,' it showed examples where residents can easily call elevators with simple voice commands, check energy usage and vehicle access information through a single application, and conveniently control smart appliances.

Concluding the keynote, President Kim emphasized, "Samsung's technology ultimately aims to create a better world for everyone," adding, "We will prioritize data security and privacy so individuals can safely enjoy advanced technology, and we will pursue ethical technology."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.