Thousands of gadgets have been unveiled at the CES technology fair, including connected laptops and cars, but a number of unusual and unconventional devices are also on display.
Many come from small start-up businesses and seek to use technology to help people in very specific ways, such as to assist them with a disability or as a solution to a problem at home, at work, or with a pet.
Here are some of the most interesting technology announcements at CES in Las Vegas.
– .Lumen glasses
Romanian start-up .Lumen describes its glasses as reproducing the main features of a guide dog in a pair of smart glasses for visually impaired people.
The company says it has effectively reduced the technology used for autonomous cars and put it in a headset.
It then uses tactile feedback – vibrations – to guide the user as they walk.
Currently in clinical trials and production, the company claims to expect to fully launch the device in the second half of 2024.
-Samsung Ballie
First unveiled in 2020, Ballie is Samsung’s AI home robot that follows users and assists them in their daily tasks.
The small circular robot can connect and manage appliances, but its main upgrade is the addition of a built-in projector, which means it can make video calls to users, as well as stream video wherever they are, in addition to using projection to provide visual reminders and alerts about tasks based on the user’s schedule.
It can even act as a babysitter while users are away, says Samsung, sending video updates of loved ones and pets.
When it debuted four years ago, the reaction to Ballie was mixed, but the growing presence of AI technology assistants in conventional technology since then means that the revamped Ballie was very well received among CES participants this time.
– Flappie smart cat flap
Swiss start-up Flappie arrived at CES with what they say is the smartest cat flap in the world – one that has “prey detection” and can prevent your cat from bringing in small animals it may have caught.
The device uses AI and a built-in camera to detect when a cat brings home prey and temporarily locks the flap to prevent it from bringing it inside.
The Flappie comes with a complementary app, which allows users to track their pets’ behavior and control the flap remotely.
The launch in Europe is scheduled for the spring.
– Rabbit R1
Looking to completely change the way people interact with technology is the Rabbit R1.
A small orange rectangle with a screen and a camera, the R1 is effectively a walkie-talkie for an AI assistant that start-up Rabbit says should replace busy smartphones that are too full of apps that are no longer easy or simple to use.
Instead of having to scroll through apps to find the right one to complete a task, the Rabbit R1 uses AI and a large action model (LAM) to find and use the app as soon as the user gives the voice command.
The idea is to eventually replace the busy, icon-filled screen of a smartphone with this simple device, which Rabbit calls a “simpler computer”.