The International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is an annual highlight in the technology calendar, in which thousands of manufacturers, developers and consumer technology suppliers showcase their latest innovations for an audience of over 165,000 attending business leaders, investors and journalists. Taking place between 5-8 January, this year's event provided plentiful insight into potential trends for 2017, with a strong focus on digital interactivity and the continued rise of IoT.
Many of the innovations of display took advantage of cutting-edge technology to offer solutions to a range of everyday problems, while others promised to fulfill functions that you never even knew you needed. Bearing in mind that today's blue sky idea could be tomorrow's fact of life, here are five of the more 'interesting' products to take the stage at the event.
Prophix - The Video Toothbrush
Of all the everyday activities you might wish to capture on camera, brushing your teeth might not be one you'd previously considered. However, Prophix believe that a better understanding of what's going on inside your mouth could be the key to improved oral hygiene. To that end, they've developed the ONVI Prophix toothbrush, featuring a small camera that can capture images or live video footage, allowing you to track changes in the health and cleanliness of your teeth. Information is wirelessly synced to a special app via WiFi and Bluetooth, allowing you to receive progress reports and motivating tips to improve your performance.
PowerRay - The Immersive Fishing Experience
For thousands of years, the art of fishing has relied heavily on setting out your bait and waiting for nearby fish to come to you. The PowerRay FishFinder from PowerVision promises to turn this upside down and have the bait go in search of the fish. This remote-controlled underwater drone can take bait underwater and stream live video footage back to a smart device, helping the user to find nearby shoals and quietly approach them. An integrated luring light helps attract the fish, while a mobile app can collect detailed information on fish distribution, underwater temperature, depth, landscape and much more. The device can also be synced to special VR goggles for a fully immersive experience.
Hair Coach - The Listening Hairbrush
Billed as 'the world's first smart hairbrush', the Hair Coach features a built-in microphone to pick up sound waves while you're brushing your hair, identifying common issues such as frizziness, split ends and breakage. Advanced sensors also provide information on the speed, force and stroke count of your brushing routine, feeding a detailed analysis to your phone via a dedicated mobile app. Not only can this information be used to keep a daily record of the health and wellbeing of your hair, it can also make personalised product recommendations based on the data it provides.
The development and marketing of intelligent cars have been a key goal for manufacturers for years, and, thanks to advances in automation technology, one that is closer than ever to becoming a reality. The Toyota Concept-i aims to push this concept even further by enhancing the relationship between owner and vehicle. An artificial intelligence system known as 'Yui' promises to work in tandem with the driver to anticipate their needs and respond accordingly. If you're feeling sad or tired, the system will detect this, make a recommendation and either limit your driving speed or take over control of the vehicle to ensure safe arrival at your destination.
Sleep Number 360 - The Smart Bed
One of the most headline-grabbing items unveiled at CES 2017, The Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed uses advanced biometric sleep tracking technology to detect snoring, changes in body position, temperature and more throughout the night. It then automatically adjusts using air chambers in the mattress to offer optimum support for both partners, promising a healthier, more comfortable sleep experience. It also features foot warmers at the bottom of the bed and a smart alarm system that tunes into your bedtime routine and rouses you when you're at your lightest stage of sleep during your wake-up window.
It may be some time before these innovations are fully commercialised and become accessible to the everyday user, but they offer a tantalising glimpse into what the near future could look like thanks to IoT, AI and other emerging technology. Who knows what these and other manufacturers will have to show us by this time next year?
Would you sleep in a smart bed or travel in an intelligent car? What innovations have caught your eye at CES and other trade shows recently? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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