There were some familiar “faces” at CES this year, as robotic helpers and home companions returned to show off new skills and capabilities.
At Samsung’s keynote, cheers met the unveiling of Ballie, a basketball-shaped smart home robot that originally made its CES debut in 2020. Ballie is back with new features, including an on-board projector for casting impromptu workout videos or entertaining clips to keep pets company. According to its promo video, Ballie will trundle around the home and connect to appliances to efficiently managing tasks, like switching on lights, feeding pets or sending security updates to its owner. In contrast to previous iterations, the new improved Ballie offers on device AI, for enhanced privacy.
Locally processed data is also a key feature of the new and improved ElliQ by Intuition Robotics. The tabletop companion for elders that provides support and enrichment made a comeback following several years of beta testing and an official launch in 2022. Thanks to upgraded hardware and AI enhancements including generative AI, ElliQ 3.0 can sustain free-flowing conversation, and builds a relationship with its owner over time, remembering and reflecting on shared conversations. Facilitating real-world connections is also a goal, whether via the extended community of ElliQ users, or in the neighbourhood.
