Samsung is working on a robot that can pick up laundry, load the dishwasher, set the table, pour wine and even give you a drink. The robot is called Bot Handy and Samsung says that it can recognize objects with a camera and AI.
The bot is intended as an extension of you in the kitchen, living room and anywhere else you may need an extra hand in your home, ‘said Sebastian Seung, president of Samsung Research, during Samsung’s CES press conference today. said.
For now, it is not clear how close Bot Handy is to being a real delivery product. Samsung has not announced a price or release window, and the company has previously used CES to showcase futuristic robots that are more of a concept than a real product. The robot is described as ‘in development’.
Video: Samsung
In its current form, Bot Handy is a long, thin, black-and-white robot with two large digital eyes that change expressions as it moves around. The robot has a single arm that can rotate at three points – essentially a shoulder, elbow and wrist – with a clamped hand at the end of it. Cameras have been placed on top of the robot’s body and hand to recognize objects. The robot can move around the room on a rolling base, turning from side to side and lifting itself to reach higher objects.
Samsung says the robot will be able to determine the material from which different objects are made, so that it grips with the right amount. It is also supposed to be able to handle objects of different sizes, weights and shapes.
In addition to Bot Handy, Samsung also demonstrated an updated version of Bot Care, a “robot assistant and companion” that the company showed off for the first time in 2019. The robot is supposed to be something of a personal assistant, reminding you to take a breather. from work or that there are meetings coming. In a demo, Samsung showed that the robot automatically opens a screen so that its owner can join a video call that is about to start. Like Bot Handy, there is no indication of how far it is in development.
In terms of actual products, Samsung does have one robot that would be shipped this year. The JetBot 90 AI + is a Roomba-like vacuum robot equipped with LIDAR, a “3D sensor” and AI to recognize objects so that it can better avoid obstacles. Samsung says the vacuum will be smart enough to get closer to objects that are not particularly fragile, such as a children’s toy, and to stay away from anything that could break it, such as a vase. The vacuum cleaner has also built in a traditional camera, which is meant to have your pets examined while you are away.
The JetBot 90 AI + is supposed to ship somewhere in the first half of 2021 in the US.