Highlights from CES 2017
This past week, CES was held in Las Vegas to display the most innovative products, the coolest concepts and new trends in the home automation. No one product made the show extra special, but the wide array of products and services – which used new technology and ideas really made the show stand out from the rest. We cannot wait to see what will debut next year. Below are our favorite highlights from the show.
Smart Concept Cars
Toyota’s Concept-i doesn’t get rid of the human driver. Instead, it focuses on assisting the driver to improve safety. It has a built-in system called Yui that is capable of reading human emotions so it can learn about the driver and assist when necessary. For example, if the driver is feeling tired or drowsy, the car will be able to turn on the radio or play music so the driver can pay attention to the road. The sophisticated interior and exterior graphics, lighting and design is an inviting, yet fun way to draw people in. In all aspects of this design, there are distinctive, yet thoughtful elements. This provides an innovative, yet refreshing future direction for cars that will be produced in the future.
2-in-1 Laptop Tablets
Laptops, turning into tablets are portable devices that are still popular. Dell introduced several convertible laptops this year, and the most notable include its Latitude 7285 and new XPS 13 models. The former is a Surface Pro 4 rival that includes a sharp screen, stylus, and a sturdy keyboard that more closely resembles that of a laptop than most hybrids. The latter is an updated version of Dell’s already great XPS 13 that includes a flexible rotating hinge for use in different positions. It is an easy-to-use and on-the-go product.
Legos will always be a popular item at CES!
Smart Monitors
Mattel’s Aristotle is a smart baby monitor and Amazon Echo in one cool gadget. The smart voice activated speaker works with a camera attached to help with tasks like soothing a crying baby, purchasing more diapers, encouraging kids to use their manners or helping them learn a foreign language. We thought this product was super cool and intuitive.
TV’s and Projectors
CES 2016 gave consumers a glimpse into what current and near future TV technology will be like. LG and Sony, the real giants of the TV marketplace, both showed highly compelling takes of how TV screens will evolve over the next few years.
Samsung showed their new 77- inch, which is super thin and light. The screen is separated from the entire system, which contains a sound bar for connectivity.
Sony featured their Xperia Projector, which is capable of beaming a touchable projection up to 21 inches in size onto any surface and has a builtin camera for video conferencing. This is a pretty cool concept that we enjoyed playing with at the show.
Drone Power
The Power Egg is the latest and greatest flyer from Power Vision, a Beijing company. Weighing 4.6 pounds and the size of a football, the propeller and gear struts retract in and out of the housing. Capable of flying indoors and outdoors, it’s designed to be functional modern art with a twist of engineering.
Drones are still flying high, or low at CES 2017!
PowerVision, the company behind the Power Egg drone released the PowerRay – an underwater drone that tracks, photographs and baits fish. With sonar capability, the underwater drone can detect fish, photograph them in 4K, and then beam the information received to a smartphone via Bluetooth. The ability that you see an immersive underwater experience via technology amazes us.
Smart Products for Consumer Use
Sevenhugs’ Smart Remote is a universal remote that takes a very different spin on the concept than the ones we’ve seen so far. The idea is simple – just point the remote at a device and it will show the custom control for it. Equipped with wall-mounted sensors that last for about a year will help with anything you need.
Not only does it count the number of strokes you use while brushing your hair, but it can tell the quality of your hair and its health as you brush. The Hair Coach has a number of sensors and microphones that will help you better understand the condition of your hair and the quality of brushing practices.
Motiv’s ring is a tiny fitness tracker that monitors your heart rate, can track your steps and provide you with how many minutes you were active and asleep per day. Their goal is to keep you active for at least 150 minutes per week. A light, attractive design allows the ring to sync right to a smartphone app, where data can be visibly available to the user.
Have you ever met someone that just wanted their baby to fall asleep and not cry? The Snoo will help you out with that. It’s a robotic cradle that promises to reduce crying, improve sleep and claims to be the safest baby bed ever made. When the bassinet’s microphones detect crying, hidden speakers play baby-lulling white noise while a motor rotates the bassinet mattress back and forth. With over 250 preliminary tests, the baby usually stops crying in less than a minute. This is one of the most interesting, yet creative products that we have seen in 2017 so far.
Meet Willow – the first all in one breast pump for the cord-cutting generation. The mobile, yet discreet, hands-free pump allows mothers to take care of providing milk for their infants, while giving them a sense of privacy and comfortability. This innovative product allows women to feel safe and secure.
Standing out among the crowd
Daqri showcased their innovative, augmented reality helmet at CES this year. The device doubles as a safety helmet and a set of safety glasses, providing mixed reality work instructions, information, mapping and more. Already being tested by several major corporations, the helmet is a breakthrough in wearable technology and augmented reality for the workplace.
Voice recognition is not just for cell phones anymore!
Vivint released their doorbell camera at CES which brings communication, control and convenience together in a single experience, putting you at ease when you are or aren’t at home. With a minimal style, the doorbell will send you custom alerts and notifications, along with being able to speak and see with those who are at your front door. This is a safe and convenient way to always know who is present at your home.
Philips, a leading technology company that focuses on electronics, healthcare and lighting, showcased connected health products that focus on children oral care. Connected digital health products illustrate their commitment to deliver innovative, yet meaningful solutions to the everyday consumer. By using technology with friendly games and relatable cartoons, children will want to brush their teeth and pay attention to their oral care.
With more than two million people relying on wheelchairs in the U.S alone, the Model M is a durable yet versatile personal electric vehicle with omni-wheels and a sturdy build for any user. It enables people with MS and spinal cord injuries to use the same machine inside and outside. It can run at three speeds and has built-in software that will evolve into more technologies for moving wheelchairs.
The CES 2017 show gave our team the chance to see the latest technology advances in product design. For a look at some of our projects, check out our website at www.beyonddesign.com or drop us a note at info@beyonddesignchicago.com.
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