CNN
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Tech companies showed off weird gadgets and new innovations at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, from AI-powered pillows that can reduce snoring and mirrors that can detect your mood to see-through TVs and car mirrors that track your eyes.
Although the event, the largest consumer technology conference of the year, is known for robots roaming the show floor, dazzling presentations and wacky products, it is also a hotbed of deal-making between executives, manufacturers and retailers across various industries.
Additionally, CES can set the stage for some of the year’s biggest tech trends and highlight how companies intend to be part of those conversations.
Here’s a look at some of the most popular products announced this week:
From Beijing Kei Technology Co., Ltd.
The companion robot Loona is the world’s first consumer robot equipped with ChatGPT AI technology.
AI companions are one of the biggest trends to hit the show this year. Luna — a $380 dog-like companion robot — has generated buzz for being the world’s first bot with built-in ChatGPT technology, allowing users to have conversations and interact with the device.
People can play games with it, give it commands, or use it as a mobile home monitor.
Meanwhile, LG’s bipedal robot Rosie is like an AI assistant, with the ability to help with chores around the house, by integrating with LG devices and reminding people to take their medications.
Samsung’s noisy Ballie robot, which was first shown off at CES in 2020, has received an update. The device can follow users around the house to make phone calls, feed pets, project movies and video calls on the floor or walls.
Rabbit’s $199 pocket-sized companion, meanwhile, looks and works differently from the rest: The walkie-talkie-like gadget works in conjunction with smartphone apps. By holding down the button, you can ask it to provide recipes, book flights, and make calls.
Although Rabbit’s simplicity reflects the kind of products that often get a lot of attention at tech trade shows, it can be difficult for it to resonate in everyday life, said Dipanjan Chatterjee, an analyst at Forrester Research.
“The idea of a single, natural-language-based interface for managing the complexities of life is as endearing as it is impractical,” he said. “Having consumers carry an additional device with another data plan is big.”
Barracuda
The Barracuda Smart Mirror learns your mood and gives daily affirmations to make you feel better.
Beyond companions, AI has made its way into almost every device and gadget you can think of this year. There are robots that mow lawns and plow snow, and others like Samsung’s latest range of AI-powered mops and vacuums that handle indoor cleaning.
Artificial intelligence has found its way into unexpected devices, too: Barracuda’s Mental Health Mirror determines your mood and gives daily affirmations to make you feel better. The promoted Holobox allows people to talk to others in different parts of the world via an actual 3D image, giving the impression that you are there in the same room.
Apple accessories are getting artificial intelligence, too. Belkin’s new Qi2 & DockKit Auto Tracking Stand is the first gadget to use Apple’s new DockKit framework, using the iPhone’s facial recognition technology to follow faces and body movements while shooting videos (consider it a TikTok influencer’s dream).
Beyond gadgets, companies shared their vision of an AI-powered future. Walmart said it is piloting an innovative AI-powered search tool for iOS users that will allow them to ask questions about items to buy on specific occasions.
Amazon provided updates on how some of its developers are integrating generative AI with their voice assistant, Alexa, including how users can now have conversations with different characters, including historical figures, via the Character.ai chatbot service.
Chipmakers Nvidia and AMD also showed off new processors focused on supporting advanced AI capabilities.
But perhaps some of the most impressive AI announcements have come from automakers. Volkswagen said it will add ChatGPT to its vehicle lineup later this year.
“This can be useful on many levels during a car trip. Enrich conversations, clarify questions, interact with intuitive language, receive vehicle-specific information, and much more – completely hands-free,” the company said in a press release.
Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to upgrade its in-car audio experience with generative AI as well.
“Voice technology struggled not because the idea was bad, but because the capabilities were sorely lacking,” Chatterjee said. “Generative AI is changing all that. There is an intuitive application for voice technology in cars because there can be no worse occasion to use your hands for anything other than driving.”
Honda
Honda announces a new line of electric cars: Honda 0.
CES featured more automotive innovations than most car shows these days. More than ever, it’s a place for car companies that want to be seen as technology leaders, not just car companies.
Honda has announced a new line of electric cars that rely on battery packs that are thinner than most of those in use today. Vietnamese automaker VinFast, which has faced some hiccups entering the US market, has unveiled a small electric pickup and a very small electric SUV. It’s hard to imagine, but the four-seat VinFast VF 3 SUV is more compact bumper-to-bumper than the new Fiat 500.
VinFast also revealed new technology that can automatically adjust your car’s rearview mirrors once you sit down. No more fiddling with that little handle.
It wouldn’t be CES without some pretty big and impressive TV innovations. This year, Samsung wowed onlookers with the world’s first transparent MicroLED display, which looks more like a floating sheet of glass.
LG also showed off its new OLED Signature T model, a 77-inch transparent display. LG was one of the first companies to pioneer transparent TVs; One of its prototypes impressed the public in 2020.
“There’s always something about TVs that adds buzz to the display, and this year it’s the transparent models,” said John Erinson, an analyst at market research firm Gartner. “We’ll see how expensive it is and how it’s used. It’s a very cool technology but the question is how practical it is for the everyday consumer, and whether it will be adopted around the home or have more new uses outside the home.”
Health devices and wearables are getting smarter
Health, beauty, and wearable technology have always been part of the CES conversation, and this year is no exception.
Withing’s BeamO, which is small enough to fit in a pocket, is a home screening tool that contains a stethoscope, oximeter, ECG, and thermometer.
It allows people to access vital signs on the go and share them with doctors in real time during telehealth appointments. Meanwhile, a new pillow adjusts the sleeper’s head position if small movements indicate he or she may be snoring.
For the hearing impaired, EssilorLuxottica showed off a prototype of its Nuance Audio glasses that also have built-in hearing aids. In a press release, CEO Francesco Milleri described hearing solutions as an “unpenetrated market” with the device’s potential to “improve the quality of life for more than a billion people.”
Another accessibility item is Palmplug gloves Packed with sensors for gamers but can also be used to track hand movements and enable better physical therapy for some users such as stroke patients.
Traditional health trackers are changing, too. Evi, a health monitoring ring, looks more like jewelry than similar devices on the market; It tracks sleep and steps and provides a comprehensive picture of health and recovery. The Minitailz’s AI-powered collar tracks the whereabouts of dogs and cats, but it also monitors their vitals in real time, alerting owners to any potential health issues.
Christoph Dernbach/Image Alliance/DPA/AFP
June 05, 2023, USA, Cupertino: Media representatives and bloggers surround Apple Vision Pro computer glasses on display in the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple’s Cupertino campus. The new headset was previously introduced by Group CEO Cook at Apple’s WWDC developer conference.
While Apple was noticeably absent again at CES, it made headlines this week by announcing that its Vision Pro mixed reality headset will be available for purchase in the US starting February 2.
“It is not unusual for Apple to make headlines despite not attending CES,” said Jitesh Ubrani, an analyst at market research firm IDC. “The imminent arrival of Vison Pro is likely to have a positive impact on the entire industry as Apple brings unparalleled awareness.”
For example, Sony teased a mixed reality headset that can be controlled with a smart ring, and Qualcomm unveiled a new Snapdragon chipset for virtual reality headsets.
“(The Vision Pro news) puts some pressure on companies promoting their products to make sure they are doing their best, as everyone in the AR/VR industry is likely being compared to Apple,” Obrani said.
CNN’s Peter Valdes Dapena contributed to this report