January 6, 2012 - After a number of unveilings and improvements, theSamsungkeenly anticipated AI Companion Robot Ballie A launch date has finally been set. The yellow robot, which first debuted in 2020 and received a major upgrade in 2024, is expected to go on sale in the first half of 2025.
1AI notes that the Ballie still maintains its signature bright yellow look and comes with wheels on the bottom for freedom of movement around the house.It comes with a large number of sensors and a projector, which can be used for gaming, displaying query results, and even projecting movies on a variety of surfaces.
During the press demonstration, Ballie demonstrated its nimble mobility by gliding smoothly on a pre-set wooden plane. The front projector has been upgraded to a full HD triple laser projector, which is claimed to have a projection quality close to that of Samsung's The Premiere 5 laser projector. It's also worth noting that Ballie is equipped with the world's first switchable lens projector, capable of both near and far projection. This means it can display operating options on the floor or project navigation information or movies onto the wall as needed.
Ballie is voice-enabled, with four built-in far-field microphones, so users can simply say "Hey Ballie" to wake up. It senses its environment with two front and rear cameras (2K on the back and 4K on the front) and a variety of sensors including LiDAR and ToF (Time of Flight) sensors.
Ballie is a voice-controlled robot positioned as an AI companion robot that glides freely around the home, ready to respond to the user's needs.Ballie will also be integrated with other devices for device control functionality. In the demo, Ballie was asked to turn on connected lights and game monitors.
Ballie's projection feature automatically adjusts to the scene, or users can manually specify the projection position and even request a larger projection screen while watching a movie.
Regarding Ballie's development journey, Lydia Cho, Head of Home Entertainment Products at Samsung, explains, "We've been working on perfecting this product to make sure it comes to market at the right time, with the right features and the right concept. That's why the development process has taken longer, but I think now is the perfect time for us to launch VisionAI."
Cho emphasized that the device can be personalized to fit the user's lifestyle and focuses on perfecting human-computer interaction. "We think it's the perfect companion for all your needs," she said, noting that it can tell the user about the weather, places they want to go, dietary needs, children's homework, and even the user's schedule.
Samsung has promised that Ballie will be available in the first half of 2025 with support for English, Spanish and Korean. However, the company has yet to reveal pricing, exact feature specifications, or specific launch regions.