Ballie is a robot assistant that looks like the love child of BB-8 and a tennis ball
On a roll
Samsung’s latest attempt to have tech improve people’s lives turns out to be a ball. More specifically, it’s Ballie (£TBC), which resembles a cross between a tennis ball and a reject from Star Wars droid auditions. Rather than you using your phone to have the little ‘bot trundle about, on-board AI aims to understand your changing needs and react accordingly. So Ballie will bleep and bloop as it opens your curtains, help you keep fit, call for assistance if you fall and don’t get up, entertain your pet (including, oddly, by firing up your telly), capture moments using its built-in camera, and order any nearby smart vacuum to clean up after Ballie and said pet invite their chums over for a party and make a mess on the floor.