Although predominantly an event for ‘consumer’ electronics, over the years many of the products being introduced at CES have had applications in, and implications for, the business and industrial world as well.
In mid-November 2017, CES Unveiled New York showcased several innovative award winners and honorees who will also be exhibiting at CES 2018 in Las Vegas in January.
All of these innovations depend upon new uses of computer chips, sensors, motors, materials, batteries, and thousands of other manufactured components.
At the press conference for Unveiled New York, Gary Shapiro spoke about a number of major trends which will have an impact in the near future. These included
- 5G connectivity will be about 100 times faster than 4G, e.g. a 6 minute video download in under 4 seconds.
- Artificial Intelligence or AI will allow software and hardware to create systems that “learn” from data and experiences rather than from humans, e.g. autonomous trucks and cars will learn how to drive safely.
- Robotics – robots with sensors, voice recognition and cameras will be able to interact with people as well as with other machines. e.g. vacuuming and lawn mowing are two common tasks being performed by robots.
- Today, a growing number of startups as well as established manufacturers are employing AI. As a result there will be a new AI Marketplace at CES 2018.
- In addition, a new Design and Source Marketplace will be allow small startups and large global companies to meet and find new ways to create, produce, package and market new products
- These areas will join the 3D Printing Marketplace which only debuted just a few years ago. About 6 years ago, there were about a dozen or so exhibitors demonstrating their 3D Printing machines (Stratasys, ExOne, Protolabs). They tended to be more focused on the DIY and “maker” market, but correctly assumed that many attendees were design and production engineers who were interested in additive manufacturing. In just the past 2 years, over 40 companies, including many crowdfunded startups, have joined this group in their own dedicated section on the show floor.
Below are just a handful of revolutionary products that were unveiled. No doubt they will disrupt these established categories.
Travel
- Modobag was introduced at CES 2017 as a prototype. Now you can ride on this motorized piece of carry-on luggage (up to 8mph). This sturdy product makes it easier than standing, or walking in airports. And it comes equipped with 2 USB ports to charge your devices. http://modobag.com
Security
- Bitdefender BOX protects all internet-connected devices at home and on the go with complete, multilayered cybersecurity, e.g. computers, smart phones, tablets, and other IoT devices. This software lets you control all your connected devices from a single app. It is in the same category, and competes with Kaspersky, Symantec, and McAfee. https://www.bitdefender.com
- Last January at CES 2017, Benjilock was introduced as a “thumbprint padlock. Now there is another entry in the biometric lock space. BIO-key has introduced TouchLock — a line of smart padlocks and bicycle locks that can be unlocked either by fingerprints (up to 20 different ones) or Bluetooth technology. http://www.bio-key.com
Power
- Ossia’s Cota Forever Battery is the world’s first wirelessly-powered alternative (replacement) for disposable and rechargeable batteries. No plugs, cables or charging pads are needed.
- For businesses as well as ‘smart homes’, Cota Tile, Ossia’s wireless power transmitter can be disguised as a standard ceiling tile and can power multiple products such as security systems, locks, thermostats, remote controls, leak detectors, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Forever Batteries can be used for products in motion, without line of sight, at a distance. http://www.ossia.com
Digital currency
Some of you may remember the baby steps that were taken by users when the internet first came on the scene and how long it took for anyone to trust e-commerce.
Now there is growing use of a payment system for goods and services across borders. that is beginning to disrupt the purchasing process. This virtual currency is gaining worldwide usage for a variety of purposes. Surprisingly, this new digital currency is already close to a decade old!
- Bitcoins are the most well-known tokens or ‘coins’. Blockchain technology is the ‘pick and shovel’ behind crypto (encoded) currencies since it is used to ‘mine’ them. Bitcoin — and hundreds of other companies like them, are creating their own currencies. Part of its popularity is that it is often faster and cheaper to conduct business without an intermediary such as a bank or broker.
Like gold, it is a universal currency and has a set value that can fluctuate daily. Unlike gold, it was invented in such a way as to have a finite limit of 21 million, of which just under 17 million exist so far. Enormous computer power is required to solve the algorithms that must be solved to create each one.
This has led to the unexpected use of more powerful chips (GPUs or graphics processing units) by such companies as Nvidia. For consumers and businesses alike, such chips will increasingly drive AI, support 5G and IoT interconnectivity, as well as many other emerging technologies.
At CES 2018 there will be a dedicated session called Digital Money Forum to discuss ways that mobile phones and plastic credit cards are moving us all toward a ‘cashless’ society.
Smart cities
Products will connect to each other via AI and IoT, and impact how cities will function (transportation via autonomous vehicles, street lighting and road signage; wearables to monitor health, machine learning for surgical robot assistants, healthcare facilities
Digital information (big data) from multiple individuals, businesses and public sources will provide input to physical devices.
