Get smarter: LG unveils its AI plans for whitegoods at CES
Artificial intelligence is about to take over white goods, and the next generation of robot help is on the way.
LG’s washing machines, dryers, fridges and ovens will be smarter this year, with built-in artificial intelligence.
The Korean tech giant explained how its white goods will be cleverer, as it held a media conference at CES - the Consumer Electronics Show - in Las Vegas.
At an event introduced by its president and CTO IP Park, LG says its new washers will detect clothing types and select the optimum cycle for the clothing load inside. You won’t have to manually select cycles yourself. If you buy a matching LG dryer, the washer will send the clothing settings to a dryer which, again, will save you from manually programming it.
LG’s ThinQ ovens will feature a new airflow system to speed up cooking. You will be able to choose from hundreds of thousands of recipes via a smartphone app and send cooking instructions from your phone to the oven.
LG also announced a proactive customer care service which will offer maintenance hints based on your usage, and will alert you to issues that it thinks will develop down the track. You’ll get an alert if the washing machine notices that you are using too much powder. It will alert you to a potential problem in a dryer if it notices a change of air flow.
LG says its AI-infused care capability will roll out now. In 2021, it will be available on one million appliances. However, we are yet to know how well these AI systems will work and which of them will be available in Australia any time soon.
LG was big on laying out its dreams about how artificial intelligence will develop over time, but these dreams mostly did not represent anything coming to market soon.
Jean-François Gagné, CEO of Element AI, detailed an LG road map for the future. It included attributes that start with the efficiency of Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa.
Then there was personalisation. LG services will be able to accumulate data, establish patterns and improve interactions with users. Its next generation robot vacuum cleaner will learn from its own mistakes.
From observation, LG will understand that you like pulp-free orange juice in the morning and order it when you run out. It will know to order you a taxi in particular circumstances.
Whether humans want to cede that degree of control to AI is another matter.
Then there’s the use of collective intelligence and in the long term, AI will be capable of experimental learning and proactively seeking new information.
LG’s ThinQ FitTM, an evolution of the company’s original smart mirror concept, will use 3D cameras to accurately measure a user’s body to generate a realistic avatar for virtual fittings. The technology will use big data to offer style suggestions and links to platforms that allow for direct purchases of clothes.
The dream goes miles beyond the reality of what AI can do today but is the basis for LG further developing its ThinQ connected device platform.
LG says it will pump out more top-of-range OLED TVs in 2020. It announced it would bring six new 8K TVs to market that feature LG’s new A9 Gen3 processor. Four premium models will feature the company’s nanocell technology.
Users will be able to monitor other smart devices in their home via their TV. This will be supported by Amazon Alexa and will be available in 144 countries.
TVs will have a filmmaker mode which LG says screens movies as a film maker intended. A sports alert feature will provide updates about teams, game times and will take you directly to the coverage.
Again, there are no details on features that will be available in Australia.
LG says it is working with graphics giant Nvidia to offer an immersive gaming experience for big screen gamers. Its 4K TVs from 48 to 88 inches will support gaming at up to 120 Hertz. In all, 13 models in its OLED range will support its GSync gaming technology. Its premium Wallpaper OLED and roll up TV models will offer these features.
LG also announced a gallery TV series with an ultra thin form factor - the 65-inch model is just 20mm thick and looks like a piece of art on the wall.
It says a wine cellar unit with a multi temperature control will be able to set different conditions for each rack level.
At this year’s CES LG says it will demonstrate a more personalised in-car experience based on the company’s webOS Auto platform. Its in-car OLED displays will let users continue to enjoy the TV programs and movies they started watching at home.
Its sound system will be capable of delivering a unique multimedia experience for each rider while the voice-activated virtual personal assistant will isolate and recognise voice commands even over loud music and conversations.
* Chris Griffith is attending CES in Las Vegas courtesy of Hisense.
Why that Valentine’s Day gift might head back to the shop
Australians returned more than $11m in gifts, or 88,600 items, in the fortnight after Christmas and it could be down to people cashing in what they can to make ends meet, a data collector says.
CEO still MIA as Richard White is back with a vengeance
WiseTech says it is progressing with its search for a new chief, as Richard White wastes no time settling into his new $1m a year consulting role at the company he took some brief leave from.