29 CES Innovation Awards: Take a Peek at Samsung Electronics’ Award-Winning C-Lab on the Global Stage

At CES 2023, the world’s biggest home appliances & IT exhibition held in Las Vegas, U.S., Samsung Electronics has opened a separate exhibition zone dedicated to its C-Lab programs, featuring four innovative showcases from its C-Lab Inside corporate venture and eight booths dedicated to startups fostered by C-Lab Outside program.

At this exhibition, a range of future-forward solutions across various fields, including health care and education, are on display for visitors to explore. At this year’s CES alone, startups fostered by C-Lab have been awarded a total of 29 CES 2023 Innovation Awards, cementing their technological capabilities on the global stage.

Read on to learn more about the projects and startups by Samsung’s C-Lab programs on display at CES this year.

▲ Samsung’s C-Lab exhibition showcased a number of its in-house ventures (C-Lab Inside) and supported startups (C-Lab Outside) at Eureka Park in Las Vegas. Startups at C-Lab have taken home a whopping 29 CES 2023 Innovation Awards this year.

C-Lab Inside: Four In-House Projects Taking on Lifestyle, the Metaverse and More

Samsung has been operating its in-house startup fostering program C-Lab Inside since 2012 in order to lead the development of innovative technologies based on creative ideas and the spirit of stepping up to challenges. Out of the projects being fostered within the company, the ones on show at CES this year have been particularly recognized for their innovation, global marketability and overall completeness.

▲ Meta-Running, a coaching platform on the metaverse that helps users run with proper posture, displays the user’s running position in real-time alongside footage of a professional runner adopting the correct posture, helping users prevent injury.

“Most injuries sustained while running come from incorrect posture,” said Donghoon Kang, Creative Leader of Meta-Running, one of the in-house startups on show garnering a lot of attention from visitors to the exhibition. “We feel that harnessing the metaverse and AI technologies can help people run in a healthier and safer manner,” elaborated Kang on where the inspiration came from for this metaverse-powered running project.

Meta-Running can be used with just a mobile device, removing the need for an additional sensor. When a user actually runs, AI technologies will utilize the mobile device’s camera to recognize the user’s body, representing their movements via an avatar in the metaverse. The technologies then analyze their posture and immediately inform them of any changes they should make. Following their run, the user is then provided with a summary of their running postures across each part of their body, as well as a guide on how to correct any wrong posture. As a result, users can work on addressing their posture, muscle strength and any over-pacing issues — three of the main causes of injuries in running.

“We’ve been working day and night to participate in CES, and have also achieved the great accomplishment of applying for a Class A-level patent,” said Kang. “We’ve earned the confidence to say that our efforts have not been in vain and that our ideas are competitive enough.”

▲ Soom, a meditation solution that helps users enjoy more relaxing meditation through real-time feedback

▲ Polkamix, a metaverse concert platform that allows users to enjoy and react to concerts in real-time from the comfort of their home

▲ Falette, an interior service that provides users with 3D visualizations of fabric products, helping them choose the best product before purchasing

C-Lab Outside: Eight Startups Pioneering the Future of Robotics, AI, Digital Healthcare and Beyond

C-Lab Outside is a startup incubating program that was launched following the success of the C-Lab Inside program in order to expand the operational knowledge gained to those outside of the company and to vitalize the startup ecosystem. The startups chosen for the C-Lab Outside program receive a customized incubation program which includes project support funds, digital marketing assistance, financial consulting and more.

▲ NEUBILITY, an urban delivery service using self-driving robots, that redefines on-demand home delivery by providing autonomous home delivery in densely populated areas

▲ NdotLight, a web-based 3D design solution, that allows designers to collaborate on projects even when working remotely

▲ Wrtn Technologies, an AI-based writing practice software, that enables model and language swapping services for businesses looking to expand to global markets

Wrtn Technologies is an education-tech startup that harnesses natural language processing (NLP). At CES 2023, the company has been drawing visitors’ attention with its presentations of its AI writing practicing software, Wrtn Training, which lets users transform their thoughts into writing. “I witnessed many students struggle with expressing their thoughts in writing while I and my team members were participating in an education volunteering program at Korea Scholar’s Conference for Youth (KSCY),” said Seyoung Lee, Co-Founder of Wrtn Technologies. “We developed this AI-based writing practice software after much consideration into how we can make it easier for such individuals to improve their writing skills with the help of technology.”

One of the key factors that inspired the development of Wrtn Technologies has been the emergence of AI and the shift in the definition of creativity that has accompanied it. “Confluent services that combine AI with education are set to become even more important,” noted Lee. “What makes me happy is that Wrtn Technologies has been the first in the Generative AI field following these recent technological changes to receive a CES Innovation Award. Ever since we were selected by C-Lab Outside, we have been able to grow fast, thanks in particular to the commercialization support and marketing assistance we received from the program.”

▲ (from left to right, top to bottom) 40FY, a customizable online mental health care app that provides services from examination to treatment; Plask, a browser-based AI motion capture and animation editing tool that helps designers animate easier; Catius, an AI character capable of realistic conversations with children to help them develop their language skills; and Erangtek, an ultra-small micro repeater that helps enhance call quality

The electronic eye being displayed by startup CELLICO is another highlight of the exhibition. An electronic eye is a device that helps patients suffering from visual impairment to recover their vision across all stages of retinal disease. “In the case of those who have lost their vision due to retinal disease, the movement of their iris, which can be likened to the aperture in cameras, does not function properly,” explained Jeongseok Kim, CEO of CELLICO. “With our augmented reality (AR) glasses, equipped with a camera capable of capturing images and then projecting them to the user through video processing with a consistent amount of light for optimal reception, users get the most out of their time spent both indoors and outdoors.”

▲ CELLICO, the first high-tech healthcare company in Korea to develop a micro-bionic eye for patients with retinal disease

CELLICO’s CES Innovation Award-winning electronic eye technology has already registered a U.S. patent and is currently awaiting the results of review applications to China and Europe. “Honestly, I just about screamed with joy when we were notified that we had won our first CES Innovation Award,” said Kim. “We would like to make the AR-based electronic eye device that we are developing now into a true success in order to help even more visually-impaired people.”

▲The team members of CELLICO, one of Samsung’s C-Lab Outside startups

To learn more about the products and services of C-Lab, which works towards sustainable innovation, visit the CES 2023 C-Lab Exhibition website, and stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for all the latest news about Samsung at CES 2023.