We’ve all been impressed, and perhaps a little worried, by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. And at CES, we were swamped with AI-enhanced products. But what do we actually need it for? That was the theme of Samsung’s presentation, where they tried to take a more comprehensive approach to making devices more intuitive and user-friendly.
This was especially true for the smart home and Samsung’s SmartThings platform. The idea is that the more Samsung devices you have, the smarter and more usable they become. A key technology will be Spatial AI, where devices understand what the home looks like and the routines of the people living there. For example, Samsung’s robotic vacuum cleaner uses LiDAR technology to create a digital floor plan. In March, Samsung will introduce a 3D Map View for smartphones and TVs. It allows you to add family and friends to your home with a simple QR code.
The voice assistant Bixby will also make use of the technology. A common communication protocol and the ability to wake multiple sleeping devices at the same time means the right device will do the right thing. For example, if you’re watching a recipe video on your Family Hub and ask Bixby to play music, it will do so on the smart speaker instead of interrupting the video.
The Samsung Daily+ service running on the TV will be the central hub. It also provides access to video calls and synchronization of workout data with smart watches. The TV will also have Samsung Now+, which can display the weather or security cameras on the screen even when it’s turned off.
The car is also part of the home, and if you have a Hyundai, SmartThings will be able to warm it up in advance with a voice command, or conversely, the car will be able to open the garage door or turn up the heat in the home as you approach.
Samsung also showed off the latest upgrades to the Ballie robot that arrived in 2020. Since then, it has gained AI capabilities and can interact with the smart home. Ballie can also project videos to display the information you need, such as the weather, when you’re heading out.