Samsung’s Ballie robot is now a projector that follows you around

Samsung’s Ballie robot is back — and now, it’s a projector, too. At CES 2024, Samsung revealed an updated version of its round Ballie robot, and its signature new feature is that it can project things onto the floor, wall, or ceiling as it follows you around the home.

In a charming video, Ballie (which Samsung once again showed off in a playful yellow color) had a bunch of clever projection tricks, including playing a video of a bird for a dog to watch, displaying a video call on a wall, and showing a fitness video for someone working out. Samsung also says in a press email that Ballie can automatically adjust the projection depending on how far away it is from the wall and your lighting conditions and that “it’s the world’s first projector to automatically detect people’s posture and facial angle and adjust the optimal projection angle for you.”

But in the video, the robot also served as a smart home assistant, turning on lights and dispensing dog food and texting somebody to tell them what it was doing. (The press email says that Ballie can control “air conditioners, lights, laundry machines, and more.”) Ballie can also follow you around the house and greet you when you come in the door. At the end of the video, Ballie filled a ceiling above the actors’ bed with a cosmic scene.

It was a really entertaining video — but unfortunately, it was just a video. At CES 2020, where Samsung first showed off Ballie, the robot rolled around onstage, but this year the company only showed off the robot through the video. And Samsung didn’t share any details about if or when Ballie might be released or how much it could cost. Still, it was fun to see Ballie show up at CES once again; hopefully Samsung actually launches the product this time.

Update January 8th, 6:01PM ET: Added further details from Samsung.