AiRET Introduces AX1, an AI Shoe Care Appliance That Reads Each Pair

On-device vision AI identifies the materials in each part of the shoe, cleans without soaking, and checks its own result. Debuting at CES 2027.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, October 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — AiRET Corp. (CEO Austin KOO), a smart home company focused on the home entryway, today introduced AiRET AX1, a freestanding shoe care appliance that examines every pair before deciding how to care for it. AX1 expands AiRET’s lineup alongside its built-in S9 Prestige system. Visitors will be able to experience AX1 in person at CES 2027 in Eureka Park, Las Vegas, in January.

The Smart Home’s Forgotten Frontier

For two decades, connected technology has reshaped the living room, the kitchen, and the bedroom. The entryway, the one space every household passes through twice a day, has stayed largely untouched. Shoe storage in most homes is still a closed cabinet that does nothing but hold what is put inside it, including moisture and odor. As households spend more on footwear and own more pairs in more materials, the gap between how shoes are worn and how they are kept has widened. AiRET builds products for that gap.

A Decision That Has Always Belonged to the Owner

A single pair of shoes can combine leather, suede, knit mesh, and rubber, each needing different treatment. Until now, deciding how to clean them has been left to the owner, and a wrong choice can stiffen leather, flatten suede, or weaken adhesives. AX1 moves that decision from the user to the machine.

Four Stages: SCAN, TREAT, EXTRACT, VERIFY

AX1 first scans the shoe and identifies the materials in each area. It then applies care suited to each material, without soaking the shoe, lifts away loosened soil and moisture, and finally re-examines the shoe to confirm the result. If an area still needs attention, AX1 adjusts and treats it again.

The entire process runs automatically. A companion app keeps a care history but is not needed to operate the appliance. All image analysis takes place on the device, and shoe images are not sent to external servers. AiRET has filed two patent applications in Korea covering AX1.

Designed for the Entryway

AX1 has a brushed stainless steel body and a clear glass door that opens downward like an oven, letting owners watch the process. A wide display above the door shows how each part of the shoe is being handled. AX1 processes one pair per cycle and can stand on its own in an entryway, mudroom, or closet, or be integrated into existing cabinetry.

From Built-In Systems to Every Home

AiRET’s S9 Prestige, a built-in shoe care system for premium residential developments, was named a CES 2026 Innovation Awards Honoree and is supplied through builder partnerships in Korea. AX1 brings the same condition-aware approach to households without renovation. AiRET has also signed a proof-of-concept agreement with a leading U.S. luxury homebuilder as it prepares for the North American market.

“Every room in the home has become intelligent except the one you pass through twice a day,” said Austin KOO, CEO of AiRET. “With S9 Prestige, we built that intelligence into the wall. With AX1, we are making it possible for any home to have it.”

“AX1 does not ask the owner how to clean a shoe. It looks, decides, and then checks its own work,” KOO added. “At CES 2027, we want people to experience that shift firsthand.”

About AiRET

AiRET Corp. is a smart home company based at Seoul National University, developing AI-based products for the home entryway. Its portfolio includes the S9 Prestige built-in shoe care system, the AX1 shoe care appliance, and entryway sensing technologies. AiRET is set to receive vision AI technologies from Samsung Electronics through Korea’s government-led technology sharing program, with the agreement to be signed this month.

Olivia Kim
AiRET Corp.
airet@airet.co.kr
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