By Min Yea-Ji and Lee Hana

A TV that rolls up into a speaker when not in use and a robot that monitors the user's health and calls 911 in case of emergency. These were among the most exciting tech products unveiled on Jan. 7 by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.



The world's first rollable OLED TV unveiled by LG has a screen that can appear and disappear from a rectangular base with the click of a remote control. The TV has traditionally belonged in the living room in front of the sofa but this new model is good anywhere within the home.

The base can be connected to a smartphone and used as speakers. Consumers can also set the screen into the base about three-quarters of the way for use as a clock or monitoring panel for other smart devices. This mode allows users to also look at photos or play videos.

Samsung also showcased its Robot Companions, or AI-powered automated helpers for the elderly designed to serve as digital nurses. Samsung Bot Care, which debuted at this year's CES, is a next-generation health aid that monitors vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate while keeping track of medication intake. It also sends a report based on a user’s health monitoring stats to family members and calls rescue services in the event of an emergency.

Future mobility products featured at CES 2019 included Elevate, a walking car developed by Hyundai Motor Company, and Hover Car, a flying two-seater by Volkswagen. The latest models of AI-powered speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home were showcased as well.



CES, along with the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, and IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung) in Berlin, Germany, is considered one of the world’s three biggest tech events. To run from Jan. 8-11, CES 2019 will showcase more than 4,500 exhibiting companies from over 150 countries.

jesimin@korea.kr