Innovation is key to maintaining your market dominance, and Samsung knows this very well. To help push its employees to think outside the box, the South Korean electronics giant has its C-Lab (Creative Lab) Inside program that churns out some really interesting products and solutions — there's also Samsung C-Lab Outside, which is the same, but for startups external to Samsung Electronics. These projects usually get showcased at CES, and while we can't check them out in person this year, there are still 21 C-Lab projects starring in Samsung's virtual showcase.

The projects span four categories: Artificial Intelligence, Health & Wellness, Entertainment, and Family & Lifestyle. Since we're dealing with so many efforts this time around, it won't be possible to delve into each of them, but here are some of the most interesting ones of the lot:

Air Pocket

Air Pocket addresses the growing problem of indoor and outdoor air pollution with portable oxygen bottles. These bottles store oxygen in high concentrations and can be recharged within a second when they run out. The oxygen stored in these bottles can be used through different outlets — such as indoor mists and outdoor sprays — depending on the application (not sure how practical that would be). There's even a discreet mask attachment that definitely is more appealing in the current times.

Scan&Dive

DeepScan is an IoT device that can easily identify the type of fabric by simply scanning it. This makes it easier to take care of the clothes, as knowing the fabric type will help select the best way to address problems like stain removal. Samsung says the device might one day be used in the laundry industry or for grocery distribution.

Flux Planet

Flux Planet is a project that creates avatars based on real life that can then be used with AR and VR content. One of the more interesting applications of the technology is the AI-based garment fitting simulation (shown in the video above) that lets people try on clothes without actually having to bother with physically wearing them.

Olly

It's a tall claim, but supposedly this "portable sunlight solution" can give you as much "energy" as an espresso shot. The small device mimics natural sunlight and claims to boost natural energy levels and help maintain natural circadian rhythms. The battery-powered light is portable and can last up to 6 hours on a single charge. If you're interested in checking it out, keep an eye out for its soon-to-be-announced Kickstarter campaign.

Food&Sommelier

This project aims to solve the very particular problem of choosing the right wine to go with food (PROTIP: The answer is "any"). Thanks to an artificial intelligence matching algorithm, the service will recommend an optimal wine and food pairing based on your preferences.

You can get a glimpse of all the new projects that Samsung is showcasing in the video below.

Source: Samsung