Samsung Touts AI, Robots in CES Event; Plans Robot Vac in US for 1st Half

Pitching a “better normal for all,” Samsung highlighted artificial intelligence, MicroLED displays, robots and sustainability at its prerecorded CES 2021 news conference Monday.

Samsung unveiled its first robot vacuum for the U.S. market, due in first half 2021. The JetBot 90 AI+ uses lidar and 3D sensors to detect distance and track location for precise movements, said Sebastian Seung, head-Samsung Research. The vac bot uses object recognition technology to determine the best cleaning path in the home and knows to stay away from fragile items like vases, said Seung. A 3D sensor recognizes the difference between objects such as a toy and the leg of a chair and recognizes a room’s shape to maneuver around it. Equipped with a camera, the robot avoids obstacles such as cables and socks, and can “check in on pets.” A video showed a dog knocking over a box of cereal, followed by the bot sucking up the spill.

Focusing on AI, Seung said Samsung is using the technology to make consumer content “better.” With TVs, AI upscaling takes HD content on TV and coverts it to 8K quality via the Quantum AI processor. In laundry applications, AI learns how a customer does laundry and provides customized cycle preferences, he said.

Samsung is continuing to improve its AI-based robotics, Seung said. Giving a glimpse of the “not-so-distant future,” he showed an extendable robot, Bot Handy, for the home with “arms” that can identify and position plates in a dishwasher. Bot Handy understands the difference between a glass cup and a ceramic plate. It can set a table or put away groceries, said Seung. Calling it a companion, Seung demonstrated the robot telling a home worker she had been on the computer too long, suggesting she stretch and take a short break. Another bot in the presentation served as a pet feeder.

Sandeep Rana, European sustainability manager, noted Samsung’s approach to sustainability and a more “mindful relationship to the environment.” Its AI-powered washing machines optimize water, detergent and wash cycles to save water and power, she said. It plans to build a TV remote from recycled plastic that can charge via solar or indoor lighting to reduce battery waste.

In e-waste, Samsung is working on upcycling, where end-of-life products aren’t pulled apart and recycled but used as “building blocks” for new devices and services. A Samsung Galaxy upcycling program “reimagines phones into new roles.” The company created portable eye exam devices with used Galaxy phones for organizations in need.

This year, Rana said, Samsung is updating software in used Galaxy phones and launching the Galaxy Upcycling at Home program to let consumers decide how to upcycle used devices. Rana envisioned upcycling a used phone into a “child care tool.” Sensors in the phone monitor audio around a baby and send an alert if crying is detected, she said. A phone could also be a long distance remote pet minder, allowing users to turn on lights from outside if a pet is home alone, she said.

The company has incorporated ways to make CE products more inclusive and accessible, Rana noted, citing sign language zoom, which automatically recognizes and enlarges the sign language area of a TV screen for the hearing-impaired. Samsung’s SeeColors app makes it possible for color vision-deficient people to see a full spectrum of colors on its QLED TVs, she said.