Samsung Electronics’ first wearable robot set to be a gamechanger for healthcare

Samsung Electronics Co.’s healthcare wearable robot Bot Fit [Courtesy of Samsung Electronics]

South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. will unveil its healthcare wearable robot Bot Fit later this year and officially enter the market to pioneer its adoption.

After showcasing a prototype of the wearable robot in 2019, it took four years of modifications to come up with the final version.

Wearing the Bot Fit increases abdominal muscle usage by 27 percent and enhances joint flexibility by 39 percent. In this regard, observers in the IT industry say that the wearable robot could be a game changer for healthcare robots as it allows users to increase exercise without straining their bodies.

Maeil Business Newspaper learned on Tuesday that Samsung Electronics recently disclosed the results of a clinical trial of the Bot Fit, including its pictures and specifications, within the company.

“We conducted six experiments on the Bot Fit, including dieting, strengthening muscles, improving physical fitness, managing body shape, improving walking ability, and restoring walking posture,” said the company. “In terms of dieting, the results showed that wearing the Bot Fit increased calorie consumption and oxygen intake by 61 percent and 75 percent, respectively.”

Samsung Electronics has completed the wearable robot’s development and is currently conducting pilot tests with its employees, a move indicating that the commercial launch of the wearable robot is imminent. Previously, the tech giant identified robots as one of its next growth drivers and pledged in 2021 to invest 240 trillion won ($188 billion) over three years in future businesses, including robots and artificial intelligence (AI).

At Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this year, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee declared that the company would launch a healthcare robot, tentatively named EX1, for seniors within the year. It is reported that the Bot Fit currently being tested in-house is the official name of EX1. After unveiling its vision at CES, the company developed it into a marketable product. It will be interesting to see if it can make a splash in the healthcare market, especially since it has greatly expanded its customer target to those who want to lose weight or manage physical fitness. Considering that medical robots for healthcare currently cost between $20,000 and $100,000, observers in the IT industry predict that Samsung may launch the product in the lower range of between 5 million won and10 million won.