Samsung unveils new helper robots as part of connected living plans

Samsung has pledged to take its plans for the smart home and connected living to the “next level” in 2019 as the firm unveiled a range of assistive robots and new smart appliances.

The Korean company’s new Family Hub smart fridge features virtual assistant Bixby, which will allow users to control other smart appliances around the home, including speakers and robot vacuum cleaners.

It will be possible to answer queries about news and weather, as well as find recipes and even order an Uber from the fridge’s built-in screen, Samsung said.

The company also said it will release its first phone ready for new 5G mobile connectivity this year, a key area of innovation for many tech giants.

Samsung consumer electronics president HS Kim said: “2019 is Samsung Electronics’ 50th anniversary, and for the last five decades, we’ve been committed to bringing meaningful innovations to consumers everywhere.

“In 2019, we’re taking things to the next level, and leveraging our industry leadership to make our vision of connected living a reality.”

The firm’s new range of robots includes the Samsung Bot Care, which can track vital signs using a built-in fingerprint scanner.

Also among the announcements was a connected driving solution called the Digital Cockpit, which Samsung said would enable drivers to remotely check settings in their car before they get into the vehicle, as well as control aspects of their smart home from inside the car.

It too will be powered by the Bixby virtual assistant, which has been the subject of development to make it more of a rival for the likes of Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri.