AI Features Added to Home Appliances and Smart Home Solutions Unveiled
On the 6th (local time), at IFA 2024, Europe's largest electronics exhibition held in Berlin, Germany, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features and smart home solutions from Chinese and European companies were showcased. Although not as sophisticated as the AI home models from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, the direction was similar: connecting and controlling individual appliances with added AI functions through an appliance system to enhance usability.
Among Chinese companies, Changhong presented a vision most similar to domestic companies under the theme 'AI LIFE HOME.' The company highlighted its first AI TV, equipped with Changhong's proprietary large language model (LLM) called 'Yunfan,' emphasizing the TV's role as an AI assistant. Notably, it adopted a strategy similar to domestic firms by improving voice recognition and other voice-based product connection features. The company also showcased a 115-inch AI TV model with 50,000 mini LEDs, demonstrating continued interest in large TVs.
At the Hisense booth, the robot AI assistant 'Harley' was the star. Reminiscent of LG Electronics' Q9 or Samsung Electronics' Ballie, Harley attracted visitors' attention with its cute appearance. Its dancing to music drew enthusiastic responses.
Equipped with OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o, Harley could not serve as an AI home hub but enabled connection with some appliances. After inputting height and weight and recognizing the user's face, Harley transmitted biometric data such as heart rate and stress levels to the refrigerator, which then recommended recipes suited to the user's health and condition. The recommended recipes could be sent to the oven for cooking, showcasing the 'Connect Life' feature. AI also provided customized recommendations based on user preferences such as low-sodium or American-style diets.
Haier was the only participating company to present an 'AI avatar.' When the demonstrator gave voice commands, the avatar responded and presented the company's vision.
European companies still focused their booths mainly on eco-friendliness and high efficiency but also showed interest in AI appliances. Reflecting Europeans' strong preference for kitchen appliances, many exhibited AI-equipped products such as ovens and dishwashers.
At Miele, the oven featured a 'Smart Food ID' function where an internal camera takes a photo of the food, and AI identifies the recipe and automatically manages the cooking process. Currently, more than 30 recipes are available, with 15 additional recipes to be added soon.
Miele introduced the 'Smart Food ID' feature, where a camera inside the oven takes a photo of the food, and AI identifies the recipe and automatically manages the cooking process. [Photo by Han Yeju]
The world's first drum washing machine without ribs using AI, the 'W2 Nova Edition,' was also unveiled. This product uses AI to adjust the drum's movement according to the type and size of laundry, enabling effective washing without ribs. AI-based diagnostic functions were added to both the washing machine and clothes dryer. When a problem occurs, AI identifies the most likely cause and helps the user resolve the issue.
Siemens displayed various AI features throughout its booth under the slogan 'Say hi to intelligent.' In particular, Siemens enabled connectivity between ovens and induction cooktops using its home appliances. Siemens' oven featured an 'AI Food Recognition' function that automatically identifies ingredients and cooks accordingly. Bosch introduced an air fryer with added AI capabilities.
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