CES is the world’s largest technology event, paving the ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This year’s event took place between 9 January – 12th of January, with a number of companies showcasing their newest products during the event.
One of the companies that showcased their technology at the event was Samsung, which is one of the world’s largest technology companies.
In this blog, I will explain what technology Samsung announced at their conference, as well as telling you how accessible they are for disabled customers.
Samsung’s focus on AI
The main focus of this year’s Samsung’s CES conference was on AI, which they’ve integrated into more than one of their products. From AI software developed by RebuilderAI that aims to make it easier to produce 3D content creation on your smartphone, to FIVA by Goose Labs which lets the user operate a home fitness platform in the metaverse, there’s countless products that were showcased, so lets get into all of them!
What Exactly is FIVA and is it accessible for disabled people?
With more and more technology coming out, people are struggling to get much physical exercise, which Samsung recon Goose Labs (which is a C-Lab spin-off) is a solution for, with their new product, FIVA.
The app will use AI motion capture in the app to mirror users’ movements with avatars, and includes a community feature so that people can support people who use it. You’ll also be able to join live classes led by expert trainers in various fitness domains, including weight training, dance fitness and ballet workouts.
But even with the easiness with which you can access the app, there are some things it could do better for disabled users, especially physically disabled people who are interested in fitness.
It would be good if wheelchair dependent users would be able to design avatars that have wheelchairs, as well as other accessories if they have them. Despite what some in the non disabled community might think, there are some accessories that disabled people have to wear that we would like to show off on apps, such as hearing aids, a walking stick, or a ventilator and a tracheostomy tube. I would love to be able to showcase my ventilator and tracheostomy tube in AI apps, so it would be extremely helpful if developers of AI and VR apps could enable these features to be introduced.
It would also be nice, however, if exercises for disabled athletes could also be included, so that disabled people can have good fun in the metaverse as well.
VRIN 3D
VRIN 3D is an AI solution designed by RebuilderAI, which will let users create high quality 3D content with just a phone.
Beyond creating content with just a phone, you’ll also be able to edit content on your phone and to add in any texture or background you want.
However, while the solution does seem good, I just hope that the software won’t require you to hold the phone in a certain angle, as that could make it inaccessible for some physically disabled users.
Saying that, most of the time I film myself I have to rely on others to set stuff up for me anyway (I’m just too lazy to do it myself) so I don’t think it would be an accessibility feature that will be the be all and end all, but it’s worth being mindful of anyway.
A new Galaxy Laptop
The Galaxy Book 4 was announced on the 15th of December, but since its announcement was only 3 weeks old when CES took place, it was bound to have an appearance.
The Galaxy Book 4 comes with a new intelligent processor (capable of making CPU, GPU and NPU much better), a more vivid and interactive display, and a robust security system.
Beyond this, the laptop is coupled with Intel’s industry-first AI PC Acceleration program, which enables new AI capabilities which will help boost the productivity that is possible to achieve on the laptop overall.
You are also able to create stunning images and graphics using AI — thanks to tools backed by NVIDIA, which improves the intelligence of the laptop.
Other features included on the laptop include the increased battery efficiency and improved privacy with Samsung Knox.
But on a slightly more inaccessible note, the laptop also includes a touch screen. While this is accessible for the vast majority of people, it’s impossible to take advantage of if you are severely physically disabled, although it might still be accessible enough for someone with a broken arm or who are less physically disabled than others.
Nevertheless, while touch screen laptops might not be accessible for everyone, it could also be an area where AI could have some advantages as well, especially with its ability to complete certain tasks for people. So if these features were included and improved more often, touch screen laptops could become more accessible, but of course we would then have to put up with voice assistants understanding what we’re saying, though that’s another issue altogether.
Highly Accessible AI Kitchen Gadgets
Numerous kitchen gadgets that are powered by AI were also showcased throughout the conference, which have extremely interesting accessibility features as well.
One of these products is the Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator, which comes with AI that is connected through SmartThings.
The Samsung 4-Door Flex Refrigerator comes with Family Hub+, and it also comes with Vision Inside, which will scan and identify the food items you put into your fridge, them send you notifications before they go out of date. Beyond this, you also get access to the Samsung Food app, which will let you personalise its performance further by adding recipes to your family hub, based on any dietary requirements you follow. However, best of all, the fridge also includes an accessibility feature called Auto Open Door, which will open the door of the fridge for you when you want to put food in.
This makes the fridge incredibly accessible for those with light physical disabilities, so they can still put food into the fridge.
This wasn’t the only kitchen device to be showcased, however, because Samsung also showcased a cooktop and a washer with a dryer combo, which have AI as well.
The cooktop uses an industry first sheet coil heating mechanism, so you can eliminate dead zones and cook food as quick and efficiently as possible. It also includes Samsung’s AI Cook Manager technology, which can detect boiling liquid and automatically adjust the cook settings so you can prevent any spillover or messes. Plus, the included Dual Cook Noise Cancelling minimises the frequency interference noise when multiple burners are in use, so that cooking remains peaceful and quiet.
The washer and dryer, meanwhile, includes a 5.3 cu. ft. drum, that lets you wash and dry more clothes in a single wash, thanks to Samsung’s AI OptiWash technology, that automatically determines the best cycle. Plus, you can also wash and dry a full load in under 100 minutes, thanks to the new Super Speed Cycle feature, and take advantage of Samsung’s innovative Heat Pump Drying technology, which can dry clothes gently and efficiently, while also saving energy.
Smarter Smart Home Devices / software
Finally moving on to the announcements that Samsung made about there smart home devices, software and apps, there were quite a few announcements that were made.
One of these announcements includes a new update to SmartThings, which for those of you who aren’t in the know, is Samsung’s main smart home hub, which is compatible with iOS as well as Android.
At CES, Samsung announced SmartThings would be getting a new Map View feature, which basically displays a map of a home and locates connected devices within it so you can enable more streamlined smart home management, including the ability to monitor cameras, temperatures on smart thermostats, remaining laundry time and other essential data, while also providing energy usage data that also helps you manage energy consumption.
Samsung also showcased their new Jet Bot Combo, which is an intelligent robot vacuum cleaner and mop. Built with advanced AI Object Recognition technology, the robot vacuum is capable of detecting evading people, pets and other objects, while also being capable of lifting or detaching its mop pads when it detects high-pile carpets, so it can avoid smudges and cross-contamination. However, it also comes with an all-in-one Clean Station, which is capable of emptying the vacuum’s dustbin and cleaning / drying its mop pads for sanitary, oder-free operations, and it can also do double duty as a maintenance robot that can remotely monitor your home and pets as well.
Two other products Samsung showcased were smart tags that you can put on your pets to monitor them, plus QR codes which you can forward on to other people in your household as well, so they can control the smart devices in your home as well as you.
Conclusion
Similar to how I felt about the technology that Sony showcased at CES, I am really impressed by the technology that Samsung showcased at the conference, but mostly because of how much attention has been given to accessibility.
Although not all the features are accessible for everyone, there are enough accessibility features included in the fridge that makes it accessible enough for someone who is wheelchair dependent but can still use their hands, which is something that I believe will help disabled people like that be more independent.
I also like how there’s a way for disabled people to use most of the smart technology showcased, even those who are severely physically disabled.
But although a lot of Samsung’s technology throughout CES 2024 did impress me, it hasn’t impressed me so much that I could completely dump all my Apple technology to swap over to it, though I would test all their products if I was paid to do it.
Although some of Samsung’s smart home technology is intriguing and I would consider buying most of them at some point, you can use them by pairing them with SmartThings, which is an app you can download on your iPhone and iPad as well. With this in mind, I don’t think I would have any reason to swap over to Samsung’s phones or tablets, but again, if I was paid to review them, I would happily do it. And when it comes to the new Galaxy Book 4 and whatever Galaxy laptop follows it, while I would try my best to get round it, I don’t think I would ever make the swap over to the laptop completely, but I would be interested to hear back from other disabled people, if you’ve used it and have good things to say.
So overall, I think the technology Samsung showcased at CES was intriguing, but it isn’t necessarily enough for me to swap over to them completely.
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