CES 2023 : What Did You Miss

Discover the top 25 non-obvious inventions, technologies, and ideas showcased at CES 2023. In his latest article, Rohit Bhargava shares his insights on the most innovative and game-changing products from the world’s largest consumer electronics show. After all, “CES is the world’s most exciting technology event”, says Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA and this year’s CES will indeed “set the agenda” on how technology are playing a pivotal role in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. From AI-powered healthcare devices to eco-friendly transportation solutions, these inventions are poised to transform our daily lives in the years ahead. Don’t miss out on this exclusive look at the future of technology!

CRDL Therapeutic Instrument

The CRDL is an innovative therapeutic device, art piece, and magical instrument that won an innovation award at CES 2023. It uses tones and human-centered design to facilitate connections between people with physical or cognitive impairments, translating touch into sound to create emotional experiences. Although the product’s design is beautiful, its name is confusing, resembling “curdle” or the keyboard shortcut CTRL. Despite this, the CRDL’s unique features and mission make it an impressive invention.

German Bionic Exoskeletons Suits

Imagine if physically demanding jobs could be done by a wider range of people, safely and effectively. German Bionic is showcasing a groundbreaking new exoskeleton that aims to “revolutionise workplace safety” by reducing pain and injury in physically demanding jobs. Alongside other innovative exoskeleton concepts that can enable mobility for the physically disabled, this idea of using exoskeletons for physical enhancement is poised to gain traction in the coming year.

Agrist Harvesting Robot

At first glance, Agtech (Agricultural Technology) may seem like an unlikely fit for a consumer technology show, and it often goes unnoticed in the media. However, there were numerous exciting innovations in this field showcased at CES 2023 that are worth highlighting. One standout was AGRIST, a Japanese agritech startup that unveiled an AI-powered harvesting robot capable of precisely identifying and picking ripe bell peppers through dense foliage. The robot won a CES Innovation Award in the robotics category. Other notable Agtech innovations included John Deere’s self-driving tractor, a hit from last year’s show, food produced using a microbe found only in the acidic volcano springs of Yellowstone Park, and a 3D printing robot that functions as a modern-day food replicator.

HOLON Autonomous Transport Vehicle

Automotive concepts are among the most eagerly anticipated and talked-about highlights of CES, and for good reason. The vehicles on display are stunning, the promises are ambitious, and the real-world applications are often within reach. Take, for instance, the Holon electric people mover, a mass transit solution designed to carry up to 15 passengers at a time. The company plans to launch a pilot program in Germany later this year, with U.S. implementation set for 2025. The vehicle is expected to serve private institutions such as campuses, airports, and national parks. Another notable urban transport option that caught the attention of many attendees was the Squad Mobility Solar City Car, aimed at urban commuters.

Beeyonder Virtual Tours

Walking past the water fountain at the Bellagio hotel at night is a truly magical experience. It’s so enchanting, in fact, that on any given night, you’ll see countless people sharing the moment with loved ones who aren’t physically present. Normally, only close friends or family members would go to the trouble of streaming such an experience. But Beeyonder, a startup aiming to redefine travel, hopes to make these moments more widely accessible. Working with a select group of curated tour guides, the company offers personalised, intimate tours of cities around the world that are almost as good as being there in person.

OWO Haptic Shirt

For those seeking the latest and greatest in technology, OWO has a futuristic concept that might pique your interest: a haptic shirt that can simulate an infinite variety of realistic physical sensations. What’s more, users can calibrate the sensations to suit their unique body type. While gaming is the most obvious application for this technology, it’s likely to expand into a variety of industries, from training and development to live music and sports events, and even healthcare for rehabilitation purposes. As the technology continues to evolve, it could offer a new dimension of immersion for movies and other media as well.

OVR Technology Scent Cartridges

OVR Technology’s new wearable device, the ION3, aims to bring scents to life through technology. The device comes with a cartridge that can generate “thousands of digital scents,” and an app that allows users to explore a content library and create their own unique scents. While recreating scents has always been a challenge, the ION3 provides a promising solution that could enhance experiences in a variety of industries. 

CAPNOS Zero Flavoured Air Vape

Brendan Wang, a college student, struggled to quit vaping and discovered that traditional methods, such as fear-based campaigns, were not effective. In order to help people quit, he realised he needed to create a product that satisfied their “oral fixations.” After two years, he developed the CAPNOS Zero, which operates like a vape but uses pressurised flavoured air. The company has shipped over 20,000 units to date, and 75% of their customers have reported successfully quitting, which is a much higher success rate than nicotine gum.

Zoundream (A Baby Cry Translator)

Several startups at CES believe that deep learning and AI can be used to decode a baby’s needs when it cries. Among them is Zoundream, which uses AI and sound recognition to process the sound of a baby’s cry and extract its meaning through a series of inner deep-learning models. Q-bear, a Taiwanese company, also offers a similar product that decodes baby noises. This is not just a peculiar one time concept, but a growing trend in using technology to understand and meet the needs of infants.

Nowatch

Introducing the world’s first “awareable.” What exactly is an “awareable”? It’s a device designed to increase your awareness of the present moment, remind you to breathe and be more mindful, and ultimately help you live a more fulfilling life. According to the marketing materials, this device can help you achieve balance and wellbeing “in this moment and every moment.” The device also offers a range of customisable options, including various stone combinations for the front.

Aska Flying Car

One can’t have CES without at least one flying car concept. What made this particular design intriguing was its intentional design to fold and fit into a conventional parking space. At the end of the day, we do need a place to park our flying cars. 

Withings U-Scan Urinalysis Toilet

Perhaps you have already come across some news on this topic as it has garnered attention for its uniqueness. The notion of your toilet being able to furnish you with useful healthcare and wellness information may seem unusual, but it is not implausible. This little gadget aspires to assist with a range of things, including enhancing nutrition and hydration, providing insights that could optimise menstrual cycles, and easing the mental burden that accompanies monthly hormonal changes for women with the aid of U-Scan, the world’s initial hormonal-based cycle synchronisation guide.

Project Leonardo Accessible Controller for PlayStation 5

Making gaming more inclusive can lead to the creation of innovations that can be beneficial in other fields, and the recently introduced accessible controller for Playstation seems to be a great illustration of this. Sony reports that the controller was created in collaboration with accessibility specialists, community members, and game developers, and is called Project Leonardo. This new customisable controller kit is designed to work immediately and enable players with disabilities to play games more conveniently, comfortably, and for extended periods.

Nuwa Smart Digital Pen

The tagline, “a magical new way to write digitally,” may seem catchy, but the elegantly designed pen truly appears to possess enchanting features. It functions as a regular pen on ordinary paper, while the integrated camera system captures and digitises your writing in real-time. It’s plausible that this pen could be the harbinger of a new era of writing implements.

Leedax Sustainable Flat Roofing 

Before delving too deeply into the latest and greatest gadgets, it’s important to recognise the vast array of technological advancements showcased at CES that are revolutionising nearly every industry. One such innovation comes from Leadax, who utilise discarded plastic in the creation of eco-friendly roofing. This serves as a timely reminder that reimagining the roofs above our heads could be the key to solving numerous environmental challenges facing our planet.

L’Oreal Brow Magic

Previously, attaining flawlessly groomed eyebrows required the expertise of professionals, such as through microblading. However, L’Oréal Brow Magic has changed that, enabling individuals to achieve a customised eyebrow appearance at home based on their natural brows and facial features. This product can even scan your face and provide suggestions for microblading, micro-shading, or filler effects. Alongside this recent innovation, the Hapta, a “smart makeup applicator” is a handheld device designed for individuals with limited hand and arm mobility to apply makeup more effortlessly. Both of these products are a testament to the success of the beauty brand’s incubator lab model investment.

Largo.ai Next Generation Storytelling

This tool offers aid with various aspects of the film industry, including AI-generated casting recommendations and script analysis. With the increasing recognition of AI’s transformative potential, we are likely to witness a proliferation of such targeted implementations, crafted to amplify the creativity of specific creative groups rather than replace any individual role or task.

 Samsung Home Appliances 

The category of home appliances at CES is always a delight, and this year was no exception, with several groundbreaking innovations that caught people’s attention. While every manufacturer is committed to producing more environmentally friendly designs, Samsung’s concepts truly stood out. These included a smart oven that employs AI to prevent overcooking and washing machines that remove microplastics from clothing, safeguarding our waterways.

Roland Piano with Drone Surround Sound

Roland, a Japanese music brand, launched their 50th Anniversary Concept Model Piano at CES 2023, which features drones with built-in speakers that levitate around the instrument, generating an immersive surround sound experience. This innovative development presents an entirely new concept in immersive entertainment: drones for sonic displays. While drone fireworks displays are already prevalent, the idea of programming drones carrying various sounds to create a mobile symphony is relatively unexplored. The thought of it seems incredible, and witnessing it come to life would be an incredible experience.

ChatLicense 

To encourage smartphone users of all ages to cultivate good habits with their devices, ChatLicense has come up with a fascinating solution: an “online smartphone diploma game” that involves a series of questions and scenarios to educate users on how to use their smartphones effectively. The primary objective is to help a new generation develop responsible and robust screen habits. This approach is brilliant for many reasons. It employs the idea of earning a diploma as a motivator for users to complete the game, and gaming is an excellent means of making essential lessons more accessible to many smartphone users who might not learn them otherwise.

The Ampere Traction Timer

To tackle the issue of smartphone addiction, the Ampere Traction Timer takes a different approach than ChatLicense. It is a personal lockbox where you can place your phone and set a timer for a designated amount of time that you will remain separated from your device. Once the time is up, you can retrieve your phone.

Ashirase Navigation Tool

This innovative device utilises vibrations instead of voice-based instructions to guide users in navigating their surroundings. This approach provides a convenient solution for people who prefer not to rely on their smartphones for directions, as well as for individuals with visual impairments or disabilities.

Nourished x Neutrogena Skin360 Skinstacks

Neutrogena partnered with Nourished, a 3D printing company specialising in health and wellness supplements, to develop Skinstacks, a line of daily gummies containing skin-nutrients. Despite its unusual name, the idea of using 3D printing technology to create personalised wellness supplements based on an individual’s skin type is an exciting concept that could be applied to other types of supplements. When integrated with smart apps or health monitoring devices, this approach could have enormous potential.

Candela “Flying” Boat

The videos showcasing the hydrofoiling electric boat from Swedish brand Candela have gone viral. The boat is being described as “flying” due to its ability to ride above the waves, providing a more comfortable experience while also minimising pollution and wake. It has already been hailed as “the future of mobility” and is creating a lot of excitement at the show.

Holo Industries Haptic Touchless Screen 

The company that introduced holographic screens is exploring a new frontier by adding touch feedback to them. This breakthrough technology allows users to not only see but also touch, pinch, scroll, spin, and manipulate any image in mid-air. This means that users can interact with floating holograms as if they were physical screens. It is a significant advancement in human-machine interaction and is being hailed as a “watershed moment” for this field.

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_{Done By: Rejina Khar, Zarif Ong & Elly Ken
Source: CRDL, TechCrunch, Design Boom, Cision, Travel Daily News, Yanko Design, Hit Consultant, Gear Diary, New York Post, PlayStation Blog, Beebom, Go Green, The Fan Carpet, Samsung Newsroom, Gizmodo, ChatLicense, CES, The Industry Beauty, Electrek and Business Wire}