Samsung’s Ballie Companion Bot Arrives in Stores This Summer

A year after disappearing from the spotlight, Samsung has once again promised that its adorable companion robot, Ballie, will hit the market this Northern Hemisphere summer.

A Recap of Ballie’s Journey

The small robot was first unveiled in 2019, made waves at CES 2020, and then vanished until it reappeared at last year’s edition of the event. In its early versions, Ballie simply rolled around the house and controlled some smart devices.

In the updated version, Samsung added a built-in 1080p projector, allowing you to display workout videos wherever you move around the house, show recommended recipes as you dig through the fridge, and stream footage from your doorbell camera when someone arrives at the door. Here’s a look at it in action at CES 2024:

Now, the company says Ballie is even smarter, thanks to integration with Google Gemini AI running in the cloud. This enables the robot to process voice and audio commands, collect visual data through its camera, and use sensors to understand its surroundings.

More Personal Assistance for Your Everyday Life

According to Samsung, Ballie will be able to analyze how your clothes fit, suggest styling ideas, and even offer wellness tips — all in response to natural language commands. It will also be capable of adjusting your lighting and setting reminders.

The company plans to launch the robot this summer in the U.S. and South Korea, though pricing hasn’t yet been disclosed. That’s likely to remain uncertain for the next few months, especially amid the ongoing tariff unpredictability tied to President Trump.

The Future of Household Robots

If you’re looking for even more hands-on help around the house, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Humanoid robots from Figure are expected to begin in-home alpha testing later this year. Meanwhile, Norwegian startup 1X showcased its Neo Gamma robot performing household tasks back in February, and plans to begin testing it in “a few hundred to a few thousand” homes by the end of 2025.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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