Unlike stationary smart speakers, the new “wellness robot” from SK Networks and SK Magic powered by Kardome’s Spatial Hearing AI suite, is able to navigate the home while listening and responding naturally, even in noisy or moving environments. According to SK Magic, future versions of these wellness robots will go even further and will be able to use voice interactions as a health signal to detect stress or fatigue.
As Kardome emphasizes about these new AI use cases, while many smart home device and robot manufacturers are racing to add ChatGPT and Gemini AI to their systems, the fundamental problem remains: these systems still can't reliably hear and understand what people are actually saying when there’s external noise, music playing, or multiple people talking.
Kardome’s CEO, Dani Cherkassky, believes the industry is "putting the cart before the horse" by adding sophisticated language models on top of fundamentally flawed spatial audio processing. His company has developed what they call "Spatial Hearing AI" that maps the acoustics in a space in 3D to enable true multi-user voice interaction.
“Developing a wellness robot that could listen, understand, and interact naturally in a moving environment required rethinking conventional voice solutions,” says Yongjae Choi, Manager at SK Networks. “We found Kardome’s Spatial Hearing AI and Cognition AI to be a perfect match for our vision.”
Kardome’s Spatial Hearing AI enables NAMUHX to separate voices from background noise, pinpoint the direction of sound, and maintain seamless performance even as the robot moves around the home — an area where traditional beamforming struggles. In addition, Kardome’s Wake Detection technology allows NAMUHX to respond to its custom wake word, “Hi Namuh,” enabling more personalized and brand-distinct interactions.
Dani Cherkassky, CEO of Kardome, added: “SK’s vision for wellness robotics aligns perfectly with our mission to make voice AI truly intelligent and human-centric. Together, we’re showing how advanced Spatial Hearing technology can power a new class of smart devices that understand and adapt to people naturally.”
Beyond air purification, SK Networks plans to expand NAMUHX’s role in personalized wellness. SK Magic's NAMUHX showcase wowed attendees, as the wellness robot was able to autonomously navigate around the home and deliver precision air quality management, as well as its contactless facial recognition technology, which enabled real-time measurement of stress levels, pulse, and oxygen saturation.
The launch of NAMUHX wellness robot in other countries will also benefit from further collaborations, such as with Silicon Valley–based AI startup PhnyX Lab, which is preparing collaborative models with pharmaceutical and vital sign monitoring firms.
Current NAMUHX features include vision AI for health monitoring, and future developments aim to leverage Kardome’s Voice ID and Cognition AI solutions to detect stress, fatigue, and emotional states through vocal biomarkers — transforming robots into true companions that support holistic health. For consumer electronics OEMs, the partnership offers a glimpse of devices that can be conversational, contextual, and deeply personal.
www.sknetworks.com
www.kardome.com
