Samsung presents home robot with ball shape

Samsung has presented a home robot with the shape of a ball. The South Korean manufacturer calls the device Ballie. It rolls around the house and can track users at an appropriate distance. It also connects to other household appliances.

Among other things, Ballie is connected to the user’s smartphone, but also has its own internet connection to send images, Samsung reports. The robot has a camera of an unknown type with an unknown resolution. There are also three LEDs for indicating the status.

In a video, Samsung does not show Ballie’s hardware details, but does show what he should be able to do. For example, it can be seen that Ballie registers that there is junk on the floor, after which the device instructs the robot vacuum cleaner to clean it. Ballie also turns on the TV for a dog, after which it takes a picture and forwards it to the owner. Voice control presumably works via Samsung’s digital assistant Bixby.

Samsung has revealed that Ballie should come in five colors, but further details are unclear. As a result, it is unclear whether the device will be released. It is also unknown what it should cost.