Samsung introduced its vision of robots as "life companions" at this year's Consumer Electronics Show ? a tiny, ball-shaped AI device that rolls around the house and responds to commands like a pet dog.
Unveiled on 6 January 2020 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Samsung's small, yellow Ballie robot is designed to act as a personal assistant for the home.
The device uses a mobile interface, on-device artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, voice activation and an in-built camera to recognise and respond to its users, and help them with various household tasks.
It responds to spoken demands as a pet might, but can be used as a wakeup call, a fitness assistant, to record moments or to manage other smart devices in the home like TVs and vacuums. It can also keep real pets company when owners are out of the house.

As Samsung president and CEO Hyunsuk Kim explained in the opening keynote at CES 2020, consumers have entered the "age of experience", where hardware and software merge to deliver personalised experiences that make life easier and more enjoyable.
Ballie is the electronics brand's response to this demand for more human-centric innovation, which aims to enhance the wellbeing of consumers by catering to their individual needs.
"In the age of experience, we need to re-think the space we have to accommodate our diverse and evolving lifestyles," said Kim.
"What makes Samsung's approach unique is the fact that we have...