Buddy from LAYER is not just your typical router; it’s an intelligent AI-based companion that seamlessly integrates connectivity with innovative adaptive technologies. This conceptual vision is designed to evolve continually, learn, and interact with groundbreaking intelligence, making it more than just a device but a dynamic assistant within the home environment. Equipped with expressive ’emotion and information display’ technology, Buddy moves around the home, adapting to user rituals and coming alive when engaged.
In collaboration with the Deutsche Telekom Design Team, LAYER embarked on exploring the future of communications and connectivity, igniting the imagination to create something truly innovative. Industrial designers at LAYER worked closely with UI/UX and digital teams, conducting in-depth research into home rituals and habits. These insights were combined with autonomous AI capabilities, redefining the format, form, and experience of interacting with a router.
With its endearing design featuring big eyes and a smile, “Concept Buddy” offers a friendly face to artificial intelligence. Controlled via voice commands or gestures, it can discern individual household members, enabling personalized user profiles and services like displaying personal calendars. Its mobility allows it to roam around the apartment, measuring air quality and boosting WiFi as needed. The removable head unit enhances its portability, making it versatile and adaptable to various home scenarios.
Equipped with a built-in projector, “Concept Buddy” transforms into a personal trainer, projecting workout videos onto walls and aiding in correct exercise execution through WiFi sensing. It serves as a helpful watering assistant for houseplants, reminding users when watering is needed with visual cues. Moreover, it provides entertainment by projecting magenta TV with 360-degree surround sound, making it a versatile multimedia hub.
Beyond its entertainment and assistive functions, “Concept Buddy” offers traditional router features, smart home control, and room monitoring for enhanced security. Sensors measuring temperature, humidity, and an air filter contribute to improving indoor climate quality. Its multifaceted capabilities make it not just a router but a central hub for home connectivity, assistance, and entertainment, ushering in a new era of intelligent living.