Sebastien Seung, who heads Samsung Research, says new technology needs to bring tailored experiences and joy into our daily lives.SUPPLIED
As year two of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, our expectations of our homes keep growing. It’s simultaneously also an office, gym, restaurant, entertainment hub and more. Technology is making it so your home can fulfill all of those multi-space roles, now and in the future.
“We’ve all spent more time at home, expecting more out of our living spaces,” says Sebastian Seung, President and Head of Samsung Research. “That’s why we’re introducing smarter technologies that enrich your life through seamless personalized experiences.”
At the recent 2021 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Samsung showcased what it calls its “Better Normal” technology.
What is a better normal?
To Samsung, it could be anything from achieving your home fitness goals by mastering a yoga technique, navigating a new diet with tailored recipes, to intuitive home appliances. Technology is meant to help simplify our lives and aid us in our day-to-day tasks. To do so, it is now more intelligently connected, flexible and reliant on artificial intelligence (AI) to make the experience seamless.
Mr. Seung says devices designed for convenience will allow us to forge connections in new and different ways. That is particularly welcome at a time when we’re distanced from many of our usual activities. He adds that such tailored tech is a way to “find new joy in our everyday”.
The new home gym
One example is exercise. In the past, gyms offered us classes, convenience and camaraderie. Samsung has made it possible for you to achieve all of these elements without leaving your home with its Smart Trainer, available with Samsung 2021 TVs. The new line of Neo QLED TVs in 4K and 8K offer an immersive viewing experience in a sleek design.
People can use it to immerse themselves in staying fit. Powered by Samsung Health, Smart Trainer allows you to easily interact with a trainer through your TV. You can receive encouraging words, feedback on your form, calorie burn updates, and reminders when it’s time to hit the home gym again. Accessibility is top of mind too for Samsung, evident with its Bixby-enabled voice control.
“We must create technologies that adapt to our ways of life, add value to everything we do, and make experiences more accessible and exciting,” says Mr. Seung.
That’s true even when typical experiences are temporarily inaccessible. Trips to the theatre to watch the newest movie, or visiting your local bar to cheer your favourite sports team, may seem like a distant memory. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the simple pleasures in life.
Samsung has the technology that allows you to experience it all from the comfort of your own home.
Samsung’s massive new Micro LED screen offers an immersive viewing experience, turning any home into a theatre.SUPPLIED
That includes what Mr. Seung calls a “jaw-dropping” 110-inch Micro LED screen design. This new screen features self-lit inorganic LED, with a slim and near bezel-less Infinity Screen. With the “4Vue” option, you can keep up with multiple sports at once, or stream a tutorial while playing a video game. The remote even recharges with just indoor light.
Making kitchens smart
While you may find yourself spending a chunk of your time near a TV, Samsung’s technology extends beyond the living room and into the kitchen.
Make new memories in your home, whether preparing a special meal with your partner as part of your reimagined date night, or trying a new never-been-done-before recipe. Samsung’s SmartThings Cooking enables you to discover new recipes based on your personal preferences, or the ingredients currently in your fridge.
When you’re ready to cook, access SmartThings Cooking via the SmartThings app on your Android or iOS device to view step-by-step instructions on how to prep your meal. You can even send recipes from your Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator to a compatible Samsung oven, so you can pre-heat to the perfect temperature (with a Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account).
If our diets aren’t one-size-fits-all, our tech doesn’t have to be either. How we treat the form and function of appliances is changing. Consider the Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator highlighted at CES 2021 – all sleek lines and flat-panel design to blend seamlessly into existing kitchens and lifestyles.
The fridge comes in a column format in different sizes, allowing for modular configurations that can grow to fit each household’s unique needs. A variety of colours lets you mix and match depending on your personal aesthetic.
Next-level robots
In many ways, the home of the future has already arrived. But what about having a robot to help you unpack your groceries or set the table? Samsung sees tech driven by AI as the next frontier.
Samsung Bot TM Care will act like your personal assistant, learning your habits and schedule, and giving you reminders about daily tasks. But it’s the Samsung Bot TM Handy that takes the idea of having a robot butler to the next level.
Bot Handy will rely on advanced AI to recognize and pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes and weights, becoming an extension of you and helping you with work around the house.
“These innovations allow robots and robotic devices to co-exist with humans,” says Mr. Seung. “Just imagine how much easier it would be if you had a trusted partner around the house, an extension of yourself. Our cutting-edge research is working to bring an extra pair of hands to your home.”
For Mr. Seung, the time is right to envision the home and experiences we want, and use technology to create it.
“We are at the beginning of a unique opportunity to not just overcome the past year’s adversity,” he says, “but to create a better normal for all.”
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with Samsung. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.