Samsung Electronics is applying artificial intelligence (AI) and Digital Twin technology to wearable product design to improve fit and sensor performance. Because devices that are worn close to the body, such as earbuds, smartwatches, and smart rings, vary in comfort and measurement accuracy depending on a user's body structure, the approach is to reflect human-body data from the product development stage.
Samsung Electronics said on the 9th that it is operating an ergonomics-based design system for wearable product development centered on the Samsung Design Innovation Center (SDIC) in San Francisco, United States. SDIC analyzes global user body data obtained through 3D and 4D precision scans and verifies product fit with a Digital Twin implemented in a virtual space.
AI simulation is also used in the development process. Researchers repeatedly adjust product size, angle, and degree of contact in virtual models that reflect the shapes of users' ears, wrists, and fingers, then confirm the design results through actual robot testing. They noted that it is advantageous for improving product completeness because it allows for faster review of more diverse body conditions than conventional methods.
The technology was also applied to the recently released Galaxy Buds4 series. Samsung Electronics analyzed more than 100 million data points extracted from the ear shapes of users worldwide and conducted more than 10,000 fit simulations to adjust the earbuds' size and tilt. The company reduced the burden of long wear and enhanced stability so they do not easily fall out even during vigorous movement.
In the wearable market, hardware wearability is becoming as important as AI features. To reliably deliver functions such as real-time interpretation, improved call quality, and active noise canceling (ANC), wireless earphones must maintain a consistent seal to the ear. Smartwatches and smart rings also rely on structures that contact the user's body to accurately measure heart rate, sleep, and exercise data. This is why Samsung Electronics is seeking to expand AI-driven design across wearables.
Samsung Electronics expects that as data accumulates, the precision of AI simulations will increase, improving the efficiency of developing next-generation wearables such as Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds. An SDIC official said, "We are innovating the design process based on accumulated data and specialized AI," adding, "By combining ergonomics and AI, we will introduce wearable products that provide new user experiences."