2017 is the 50th year of CES (Consumer Electronics Show), an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). CES 2017 was held in Las Vegas from January 5 to January 8, showcasing the latest technology products and trends to the world.
Photo source: CES Tech
VR is still hot, but no big surprises. Both HTC and Oculus decided not to demonstrate their latest version.
This year, the smart home products using AI (Artificial intelligence) technologies are attracting attention.
Sleep Number 360 smart bed
- Preheat the bottom part of the bed to warm your feet and make you fall asleep faster
- Automatically adjust the firmness of the mattress according to your movement
- Take the roar out of the snore by gently raising your partner’s side to reduce his/her volume
- Identify your best sleeping temperature and adjust the room thermostat
Photo source: Sleep Number 360
Cota Tile
Selected as one of the CES 2017 Best Innovation Awards products, Cota Tile is designed by Ossia to deliver real wireless power to electronic devices like mobile phones without wires, charging pads or plugs. It can be embedded in the ceiling with a radiation range around 30 feet. It is very convenient whether you are in an office, a hospital, a cafe or at home.
Photo source: Sleep Number 360
Little Fish - AI digital Assistant With A Touchscreen & Camera
Little Fish is a cool AI digital assistant designed by Ainemo Inc. It’s a voice controlled family robot using Baidu’s AI operating system DuerOS. It’s the world’s very first AI digital assistant with a combination of touch screen, voice and camera. You can ask Little Fish to search information, order takeaways, and set alarm clocks, .etc. With a touch screen, you can scroll from left to right to find out all the search results and pick the one you want to explore more. Moreover, the camera on top of the screen can automatically track your gesture and ensure that the screen faces you all the time. However, Little Fish only recognizes Chinese at this stage. It will launch in March 2017 in China with a price at 2,699 RMB, about CDN $540.
Photo source: Baidu
Beam
Beam is a portable smart projector that can simply turn any flat surface into a big screen, controlled by an Apple or Android app. You can screw it into any light socket or use the included cable to place it at any places you like. I used to image the scene that I can pretend to be a good cook with a secret weapon - the recipe demonstrated on the kitchen counter top. Now the dream comes true. You can buy Beam at 499 euro, about CDN $696 on its website.
Photo source: Beam Labs Inc.
Autonomous Driving System at $5,000
The ex-Tesla partner Delphi and Mobileye showed off the CLSP autonomous driving system. Delphi is a world leader in automated driving software, sensors and systems integration. Mobileye is a world leader in computer vision systems, mapping, localization and machine learning focused on the automotive domain.
According to Delphi, three factors will separate the leaders from the pack in the race to offer driverless vehicles:
- Perception sensors such as cameras, radar and LiDAR
- Automotive experience
- Computer processing speed
They expect mass production in 2019, priced at around $5,000.
As more and more new technology will hit the streets in 2017 and thereafter, how can innovative technology companies stand out? Some startup entrepreneurs are questioning whether they should spend money on improving product features than on marketing campaigns, i.e. attending trade shows like CES. They make a good point. Exhibition venues are very crowded and small exhibitors may go unnoticed. However, companies need to find a suitable platform/channel, not necessarily the CES, to increase their brand awareness and grow market share before the competition draws market attention with similar products/services.
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