Samsung has unveiled a dog-like robot called Ballie that follows its owner to act as a personal photographer and maid

• Samsung has unveiled its latest weird and wonderful consumer gadget: a dog-like robot called "Ballie."
• According to the CEO of Samsung's consumer electronics division, HS Kim - who unveiled Ballie at this year's CES - Ballie follows its 'owner' around to photograph "special moments."
• Ballie can also help with household chores, such as turning on the TV, activating smart curtains, and even ordering smart vacuum cleaners to whir into action if it detects a spillage.
• Samsung has not said when the device will go on sale.
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If you've ever wished your dog could help around the house, your wish has now been granted - sort of.

That's because Samsung has unveiled its latest weird-and-wonderful gadget at this year's CES: a dog-like, ball-shaped robot called "Ballie" that uses built-in AI to follow its owner to photograph "special moments" and assist with a range of household chores.Ballie was unveiled by the CEO of Samsung's consumer electronics division, HS Kim, at the annual consumer tech extravaganza.

In a demo video published by Samsung on Tuesday, Ballie can be seen rolling around the house and opening smart curtains, setting off washing machines, and even instructing a robotic floor cleaner to whir into action after it detected spillage.

Samsung also said it can act as a fitness assistant, and described Ballie as "an all-around life companion that helps you live a fuller, happier life."

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The robot itself looks a little like a tennis ball.

Ballie is not the only device Samsung has so far unveiled at CES.It also unveiled a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses, in an attempt to gain a market that Google has left vacant for years.

As well as the AR glasses, Samsung showcased the latest iteration of "GEMS," a robotic exoskeleton that aids people's workouts and gives them performance feedback, as well as offering mobility assistance to the elderly and the disabled.

GEMS, which (somewhat bizarrely) stands for "Gait Enhancing and Motivation System," was first unveiled at last year's CES.