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| SK Telecom releases "NUGU Candle," LED lighting embedded in an AI platform, Wednesday. / Courtesy of SK Telecom |
By Jun Ji-hye
SK Telecom has released a light-emitting diode (LED) lighting device embedded with an artificial intelligence (AI) platform in response to the rapidly growing market for LED products and the heightened interest of customers, the company said Wednesday.
The scale of the LED market in 2017 was estimated at 7.4 trillion won ($6.6 billion) and is expected to reach 12.3 trillion won in 2020, the company noted.
The nation's top mobile carrier said the new device, NUGU Candle, the latest product of its AI speaker series, will expand the reach of the firm's AI platform NUGU to all around the house from the living room.
NUGU Candle emits 17 light colors. Users can select their favorite colors for different environments through the NUGU app.
The firm said users can use the device when breast-feeding their baby, sleeping or reading.
NUGU Candle offers a "sunrise morning call" function making lighting brighter 30 minutes before the morning alarm time, and an autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) provides a bird call.
ASMR has become a popular way to relax as it provides sounds that cause relaxation and evokes pleasant sensations.
The firm said such a feature will help users sleep soundly.
Users of NUGU Candle can also enjoy the existing functions of the NUGU AI speaker such as listening to music or the radio, getting weather information and ordering chicken or pizza.
The price of the latest device is 149,000 won, but it can be purchased for 79,000 won through the introductory event.
Beginning with the release of NUGU Candle, SK Telecom will continue to apply its AI platform to a variety of objects at home so that users can use AI technology naturally, the firm said.
"A car will be also used as a core space for AI technology," said Lee Sang-ho who leads the telecom firm's service platform business division. "We will continue to explore various services such as making the navigation AI secretary."
In September, the company released T Map X NUGU, which combined its navigation service T Map and the AI platform, and since then, has added various voice-activated services.
The firm said it plans to release NUGU Button on July 18 to raise the convenience of T Map X NUGU users. The product can be attached on the steering wheel of automobiles, enabling users to activate the navigation app by simply clicking on the button of the product.
"Our goal is to enable people to use the AI platform at any time in any place," Lee said.
