Chinese manufacturer Baidu, famously known for its OS has just announced a brand-new AI, along with a new smart speaker. This marks a new road for the company as it is making a more prominent move in the segment of the IoT and making its name known in the mobile OS space as well.
The company announced two new robots as well, that will be powered by a new OS, called DuerOS. It is based on the same kind of conversational abilities as the Alexa and the Google Assistant. The smart speaker and the two robots will be part of their new ‘Raven’ range of products. All of the new announcements were made earlier today at the Baidu World Conference in Beijing. DuerOS already has been running on a multitude of devices like smartphones and televisiosn, refrigerators and washing machines as well. The new Raven series of devices will be the company’s first to feature AI-integrated features.
Raven H Smart Speaker
Starting with their speaker, the Raven H will go on sale in November with the price tag of $256. Its design is a combined effort between Raven Tech and Teenage Engineering. It will feature LED display touch control which can be detached from the console and be used within the Wi-Fi range for voice control – something that the Echo and Google Home should also pick up on, as it makes the device more flexible to use and communicate with the speaker from any part of the house. The LED controller can also control Raven series smart home devices as well. The conversational AI is similar to Alexa and can do essentially the same features as other smart speakers can.
Raven R Home Robot
This robot which looks like something straight out of a 90’s science fiction movie. It is essentially a robotic arm connected to an LED display which can swivel and move to make emotions and expressions. It functions in the same way as the Raven H and offers a slightly different, more human approach to AI.
Raven Q
This one will feature DuerOS natural language processing as well as come with the ability to construct a 3D model of its surroundings and has the same features as the above-mentioned smart products as well.
All in all, the new approach by Baidu towards AI and smart homes is a bold and fresh alternative to the regular breed of smart speakers that we are used to. The colourful and quirky design aesthetic, as well as the functionality kept in mind, shows that Baidu aims to be a serious contender in the internet of things space. Currently, the devices will be available only in China right now. Whether they will make a global appearance soon, we’ll have to wait and see.
COMMENTS