Robotics and health: Samsung’s latest moves
On the eve of the launch of the new Galaxy models, the South Korean giant has unveiled two major investments
Samsung is focusing on robots. The South Korean giant, which is also set to unveil new smartphones in the coming days, has announced the creation of a new division dedicated to robotics, called RX, an acronym standing for Robotics eXperience. The unit will consolidate all the group’s robotics capabilities and will be led directly by CEO TM Roh, with the aim of developing a medium- to long-term strategy ranging from the development of core technologies through to commercialisation. The market reacted positively, with the company’s share price rising by as much as 7 per cent, on a day when the Kospi index rose by around 4 per cent.
The move confirms the company’s push towards so-called ‘physical AI’. Earlier this month, during a public meeting in Jinju, Roh announced investments of around 60,000 billion won ($40.7 billion) in the Yeongnam region, where the Gumi site is located. Of this, 19,000 billion won will be allocated specifically to Gumi, in collaboration with Samsung SDS, to develop physical AI infrastructure and production facilities for humanoid robots. The new division also aims to open research centres in the United States, China and Japan. This move followed Samsung’s acquisition, at the end of 2024, of a larger stake in Rainbow Robotics, making it the company’s largest shareholder.
But robotics isn’t the only area of focus. On the eve of the launch of the new Galaxy models, Samsung has also announced a new AI-powered assistant that acts as a virtual health companion. Called Samsung Health Assistant, it collects data from the user’s Galaxy smartphone, smartwatch or smart ring, and will launch as a beta test next month, on a voluntary basis. The company is thus entering an increasingly crowded market, where firms such as Whoop (the brand behind the wristband worn by Sinner) already have an AI coach integrated into their platform, as does Google’s new Fitbit Air, whilst Oura offers a similar feature and Apple is working on something comparable.
According to Hon Pak, the senior vice-president in charge of the digital health business, the difference lies in the ecosystem. The assistant utilises the company’s personalised data engine, which analyses devices for elements such as calendar events and travel plans to tailor its suggestions. It might notice, for example, that the smart lights in the home remained on until 11.30 pm, a sign that the user failed to wind down in the evening, which could affect their sleep. Looking ahead, the system will be able to suggest breathing exercises before a stressful meeting or adapt sleep advice following a journey across multiple time zones.
Samsung has stated that the assistant will not make diagnoses or offer medical advice. Pak refers to specific ‘guardrails’, and to reduce the risk of AI hallucinations, the company is collaborating with organisations such as the National Institutes of Health, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and MIT. The package also includes new cardiac health features, including Vitals, which analyses parameters such as heart rate, heart rate variability and blood oxygen levels overnight, flagging any significant deviations from the user’s baseline. According to a report by Bloomberg, Samsung is also working on a healthcare platform – expected no earlier than the end of 2026 – designed to link users’ data to doctors.
