Artificial intelligence has taken center stage at this year’s IFA, particularly in the smart home sector. SwitchBot, a company recognized for its innovative home automation gadgets, introduced three new AI-enhanced products: a smart home AI Hub, an E Ink AI Art Frame, and two animated AI companions named Niko and Noa.
The All-Seeing AI
The newly launched SwitchBot AI Hub serves as a more advanced iteration of the company’s existing smart home hubs. This device is crafted to connect and manage Bluetooth devices like smart shades, locks, and lighting systems. Enhancements include both on-device and cloud-based AI, which work in tandem with SwitchBot’s cameras and sensors to monitor, analyze, and interpret activity within the home.
This hub is designed to recognize significant events, such as detecting a fall by an elderly person, and can trigger an automation based on this analysis. The “event comprehension” feature utilizes a vision language model (VLM) that requires a cloud connection and subscription. Additionally, on-device AI is capable of identifying various objects and individuals including faces, pets, and vehicles, enabling users to track their possessions effectively. Users can even inquire about their items, like asking the hub, “Show me where I left my phone,” and it will retrieve relevant video footage.
In terms of specifications, the AI Hub significantly upgrades from the Hub 3, encompassing dual-band Wi-Fi, enhanced Bluetooth capabilities, and 32GB of onboard storage that can be expanded up to 1TB. The device can manage up to eight 2K cameras, stream locally via RTSP, and output footage to a monitor. Additionally, it supports over 100 SwitchBot devices and bridges up to 30 products into a Matter ecosystem, all powered by a 6T AI chip.
E-Paper Merges with AI
SwitchBot is also making strides in the art realm with the introduction of the AI Art Frame. This device features a vibrant E Ink Spectra 6 display that merges interior design with AI artistry. Users can upload personal images or create artwork through prompts using the SwitchBot app, which leverages the company’s proprietary AI models.
The AI Art Frame is offered in three sizes: 7.3 inches, 13.3 inches, and 31.5 inches, compatible with standard Ikea frames, and operates on battery power, allowing versatile placement with a reported lifespan of up to two years on a single charge.
Cuddly Companions with AI
In an exciting addition, SwitchBot revealed two new AI companions at IFA — robots named Noa and Niko. These soft-bodied household robots are designed for companionship, exhibiting movements like flapping arms and blinking blue eyes, and they resemble cute, fluffy penguins. SwitchBot indicates that these bots are equipped with small wheels that allow them to navigate independently.
According to the company, these AI companions can recognize family members, respond to gestures and emotions, and exhibit feelings such as happiness or sadness, while also adapting to daily household routines.
Details regarding pricing and availability for these innovative products have yet to be announced. However, SwitchBot’s history of successfully bringing ambitious prototypes into production suggests a strong potential for these gadgets to reach the market. Hands-on experiences with all three products will be available at IFA this week.
