Stop Wasting Energy: Close Your Fridge Door
▼ Summary
– The article’s author is a senior tech reviewer with over twenty years of experience covering smart home and connected technology.
– Samsung announced a new voice-activated door feature for its Family Hub smart fridge line at CES 2026.
– Using built-in Bixby, the fridge can fully open or close its door (over 90 degrees) in response to voice commands or a hand tap.
– This feature is presented as a helpful tool for cooking with dirty hands and a significant accessibility upgrade.
– The fridge’s AI Vision system is also being upgraded with Google’s Gemini LLM to better identify food items and help reduce waste.
The latest innovation from Samsung’s Family Hub smart refrigerator line introduces a feature many have long awaited: hands-free, voice-activated door operation. This significant upgrade, announced at CES 2026, allows users to simply command “Shut the fridge door” or “Open the door” using the built-in Bixby voice assistant. The door will then swing open fully, beyond 90 degrees, providing full access without any physical contact. This functionality proves exceptionally useful in the kitchen, particularly when your hands are covered in flour or grease, and it represents a meaningful step forward in making appliances more accessible to everyone.
Beyond the convenience of voice-controlled doors, Samsung is integrating more advanced artificial intelligence into these appliances. The refrigerator’s existing AI Vision system, which scans and recognizes items placed inside, is now being enhanced with Google’s Gemini large language model (LLM). This powerful combination allows the fridge to identify a virtually unlimited range of food items, from fresh produce to packaged goods. The goal is to provide smarter assistance with meal planning, inventory tracking, and ultimately, to help households significantly reduce food waste.
The new hands-free opening mechanism isn’t limited to voice commands. For a quick open or close, you can also tap the door with the back of your hand or your palm. This dual-approach ensures that whether you’re juggling groceries or have your arms full of dinner ingredients, accessing your refrigerator’s contents is effortless. These updates transform the appliance from a simple cooling box into an interactive, intelligent kitchen hub that actively assists in daily tasks and promotes more sustainable habits.
(Source: The Verge)
