Samsung has revealed a tennis ball-like robot as the tech giant offered its vision of a future where robots will be “life companions”.

The technology giant said the next 10 years will see the rise of assistance robots and smarter, more connected homes.

During a presentation ahead of the opening of CES, Samsung’s consumer electronics president H.S. Kim unveiled Ballie, a small rolling robot which can control smart devices to help around the house.

The company also teased a pair of augmented reality smart glasses as part of a demonstration of its GEMS mobility exoskeleton first seen last year, which is used to help improve mobility in those with mobility conditions.

The presentation also included suggestions of smart homes complete with food preparation robots.

Mr Kim called the next wave of innovations the “age of experience”, which he said will see technology become more personalised for each user during the next decade.

“In the age of experience, we need to re-think the space we have to accommodate our diverse and evolving lifestyles,” he said.

“What makes Samsung’s approach unique is the fact that we have a very clear philosophy built around human-centered innovation. We build and create to solve problems and enhance people’s lives.”

The first day of announcements at the technology convention in Las Vegas also saw Sony tease a surprise move into connected cars, with the unveiling of its Vision-C concept, which it says will combine safety and entertainment using the firm’s range of sensor and audio/visual technology.

The four-day convention officially opens on Tuesday, where more than 150,000 people are expected to see the thousands of new gadgets on show, which also include a foldable PC from Lenovo and a range of other robots, smart speakers and wearable devices.

Martyn Landi is PA Technology Correspondent in Las Vegas.