Robots take center stage as Samsung and LG kick off CES 2021

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics showcased their latest innovations on the first day of the virtual CES 2021 Monday where their prototypes — such as a rollable smartphone from LG and table-setting robot from Samsung — are set to make a splash.

Sebastian Seung, head of Samsung Research, receives a cup from Handy, a new robot unveiled during CES 2021. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics showcased their latest innovations on the first day of the virtual CES 2021 Monday where their eye-popping prototypes — such as a rollable smartphone and “AI influencer” from LG and table-setting robot from Samsung — are set to make a splash.

Samsung Electronics unveiled its new robot Handy designed to help with moving and arranging things at home on top of its latest versions of conventional home appliances like televisions and refrigerators.

Handy is still in development, the electronics maker said, and will likely handle a wide range of household chores.

“This is the first time that Samsung Bot Handy has been revealed at the event,” the company said in a statement.

“It is a future-centered household robot designed to help with different chores like setting and cleaning the table, as it is capable of grasping and moving stuff by recognizing objects,” it said.

Samsung Electronics' Jetbot mop robot that function as a monitoring camera for pets. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Also debuting is Samsung’s Jetbot Robot mop, which operates on Intel’s processor Movidius.

The company claims that the vacuum, due to be launched in the first half of this year in Korea and the United States, comes with more improved object detection and avoidance feature thanks to the advanced chip and three-dimensional sensors.

Equipped with Samsung’s Bixby virtual assistant, the Jetbot is also voice-activated.

The bot also doubles as a camera to monitor pets.

Image for LG Rollable smartphone. [LG ELECTRONICS]

LG is pushing forward with LG Rollable, a smartphone that unfurls like a scroll from one side, although few details are available as of press time.

“The LG Rollable smartphone made an appearance at CES, briefly demonstrating its unique resizable screen,” LG said in a statement. “As the second device under the brand’s Explorer Project, this rollable device is an 'exploratory' look at what the future of smartphones may bring.”

LG Electronics' artificial intelligence chatter bot Reah Keem. [LG ELECTRONICS]

Another star of the show was Reah Keem, a human-like artificial intelligence chatter bot that LG introduced as “a virtual composer and DJ.” The concept is similar to Samsung's Neon, unveiled at CES last year.

Reah’s initial role was to introduce LG’s disinfection robot called CLOi DisinfectBot.

Standing at 160 centimeters (5 feet, 3 inches) tall, the autonomous robot uses ultraviolet C (UV-C) light to disinfect an area.

Ultraviolet radiation is able to kill microorganisms including bacteria and is proven to inactivate other coronaviruses such as SARS, according to LG. It is not yet clear whether UV-C is effective against the virus that causes the current coronavirus strain.

Sebastian Seung, head of Samsung Research, presented its newest robots while LG tapped Kim Jin-hong, head of its Global Marketing Center, to make a speech.

Besides the different bots, both companies will present new televisions, refrigerators and other appliances at the show.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]