LG Electronics has introduced a new line of user-friendly home appliances registering commands from users’ “online chat messages.”
The breakthrough, entitled “HomeChat Service,” works in joint-partnership with Korea’s globally-expanding online chat service Naver Line. With HomeChat, users can punch in commands on the chat program from either computers or smartphones.
The devices then read the orders, chat back confirmation instantly on the same program, then perform the tasks on designated time schedules.
For example, users can order an appliance to clean on reserved time by typing, “Please clean an hour from now.” Then the device will chat back, “Cleaning will be done an hour from now. I will alert you at the reserved time.”
In another case, when a user asks an oven, “Can you recommend a dessert recipe?” it will provide a dessert list.
“Of course there’ll be a period of trials and errors at first, because people’s commands vary in such a diverse fashion,” said Na Joo-young of LG Electronics’ Corporate Communications Division. “That’s why we can’t tell exactly when the service will become available on the market. But it will definitely be launched sometime next year.”
LG appliances currently equipped with HomeChat service include refrigerators, washers, ovens and automatic floor cleaners.
HomeChat’s global debut will be at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014 in Las Vegas, which runs Jan. 7-11.
LG also plans to launch a related service next year entitled “Internet of Things (IoT),” an online network platform that links users’ various electronic devices and allows them to synch and automatically share personal data with one another.
“IoT will encompass not just electronic appliances but others in broader uses, such as health care, telemetering, smarthomes and smartcars,” said Na.
“There are foreign products made based on a network system similar to IoT, like American venture enterprise Corventis’ heartbeat monitoring device, Google’s Googlass and Nike’s FuelBand.”
Press Release:
AT CES 2014, LATEST SMART APPLIANCES FROM LG CHAT WITH USERS VIA MOBILE MESSENGER
LG Enables Customers to Use Popular LINE Messaging App to
Communicate with Smart Appliances Using Natural Language
SEOUL, Dec. 26, 2013 — LG Electronics (LG) will showcase its next generation of smart innovations and technologies that take advantage of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to allow customers to communicate, control, monitor and share content with LG home appliances via the popular mobile messenger, LINE, and LG’s HomeChat™ service.
With HomeChat[1], there is no learning curve because it was designed to be used with one of today’s most popular and free mobile messenger, LINE. With 310 million users worldwide, LINE is available on all major smartphone platforms: Android, iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Nokia Asha as well as desktops and laptops running Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. With HomeChat, there is no need to learn new commands or add another remote control to the coffee table. Everything homeowners need to communicate with their LG smart appliance is on their smartphone or desktop.
“Always at the forefront of innovation, LG is continually striving to inspire smarter consumer lifestyles in meaningful ways,” said Seong-jin Jo, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Home Appliance Company. “We’re excited to be able to bring to CES our smart appliances with the newest communication and intelligence capabilities.”
2014 LG smart appliance owners will be able to control all their compatible appliances using HomeChat on a single device, for a level of convenience never experienced before. Simply texting “I’m going on vacation” in HomeChat will result in the automatic response, “Should I convert to vacation mode?” which when replied in the affirmative, will turn on the refrigerator’s power-saving mode, set the robotic vacuum cleaner to sweep the floor at 09:00 every day and set the washing machine to run a wash cycle on the day before your return. Available initially in English and Korean with more languages in the pipeline.
A Complete Food Management System
Thanks to the messaging capabilities of HomeChat, new LG smart appliance owners will be able to receive real time status updates from their refrigerators no matter where they are. Family members can upload photos to the fridge from their smartphones using LINE and displayed on the refrigerator’s display panel.
What’s more, Smart Manager transforms the refrigerator into a complete food management system. Customers can use the LCD panel or their smartphones through the LG Smart Refrigerator app to check what’s inside without opening the door. With the Smart Manager’s Freshness Tracker, users can input various foods and check their expiration dates. Smart Manager also has the capability to recommend dishes to prepare based on the ingredients available in the refrigerator.
So Much More Than a Vacuum
The HOM-BOT SQUARE can be programmed to clean at set times in accordance with the needs and personal preferences of the user. Homeowners can check the cleaning history by asking HOM-BOT SQUARE “When did you last clean?” using HomeChat. The vacuum cleaner will then respond via HomeChat: “10:50 started cleaning with zigzag mode; 11:30 completed cleaning with zigzag mode.” Moreover, HOM-BOT SQUARE’s movement can be manually controlled using HomeChat.
A Washing Machine That Thinks For You
Using HomeChat, users can download up-to-date wash cycles to suit their personal needs and also receive recommendations via HomeChat if a wash cycle has been updated and needs to be downloaded again. HomeChat can also be used to remotely start a load of laundry, monitor the status of the washer, and receive push alerts via smartphone or LG Smart TV when a wash cycle is completed.
Recipe Recommendations with LG’s Smart Oven
With HomeChat™ and Recipe Search, users can converse with their smart oven to recommend recipes for specific dishes and find out which ingredients are needed for it. Conveniently, the oven will then auto-select the appropriate settings, which helps users to avoid the hassle of having to manually set the cooking mode. Also, LG’s smart oven app provides alerts when recipe updates become available, encouraging family members to whip up new and interesting meals.
Greater Convenience with NFC
With NFC Tagging and Smart Diagnosis™, customers can resolve minor issues without expensive and inconvenient home technician visits. NFC tagging also allows owners to download new wash cycles for LG washing machines.
[1] Available initially in English and Korean, additional languages will be introduced in 2014.
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