Lovot robot
I’ve hit Las Vegas, Nevada for the biggest annual technology and gadget show on the planet; CES, or the Consumer Electronics Show. The week-long tech show starts with CES Unveiled, which is a showcase of all kinds of new, emerging and very cool or unusual tech.
CES Unveiled: highlights
Here’s a snippet of what I found, and I’ll be looking to get more info on some of these as the week progresses.
‘Emotional support robots’ from Lovot
Lovot makes what they’re calling ’emotional support’ robots… they respond to you in the same way clingy pets would, following you around on their little wheeled bases, using cameras for navigation, and demanding your affections by, essentially, being cute and blinking their big doey eyes at you. These robots will set you back about $3,000USD.
Qoobo’s cat cushion for humans
Therapeutic cat cushion, for humans
Speaking of pets… maybe you’re allergic but want something to pet, that will respond? Qoobi is a ‘support or theraputic cushion’. With a wiggly, moving tail and faux fur, Qoobi is the cat whose litter box you never need to clean. This robotic pillow with a tail is intended to provide a sense of comfort. Qoobi says a variety of different animals tail movements have been studied, so you do not “lose interest”.
Keep it clean with iKuddle for cats
If you prefer real pets, I saw an automation system will feed your pets for you, give them treats and even handle the kitty litter. Thanks to a company called iKuddle, your real cat’s kitty litter is automatically scooped and bagged, and made ready for disposal. The company also has automatic feeders and treat dispensers too.
Cubo the cute bird baby monitor
I found a crib monitor in the shape of a bird that will surveil your baby, and send you alerts if they get tangled in the covers. Cubo has a perch that will hover over you baby’s crib, providing you with a full overhead view. With customizable covered face and rollover alerts that uses AI to detect if your baby’s mouth and nose are covered by items or if your baby is stuck while rolling over.The camera has High Definition 1080p Night Vision and it’s already available on Amazon.
Anova innovates with smart oven
Anova’s smart convection-steam oven
The good folks at Anova who make a sous vide cooker I just reviewed are now making a smart oven. This countertop beast is massicve but it’s got steam cooking and convection, so it’s pretty versatile.
Speaking of kitchen technology, a company was showing off a wine bottle/soda can countertop chiller that promises a cold bottle in less than 5 minutes.
Stop package theft with Danby Secure parcel drop box
For all of you who’ve ever had a package go missing Danby is making a secure parcel mailbox. Your delivery person can pop the package into the box, and it drops into a secure hold. Though how it handles bigger deliveries is a question I’ll have to get answered later…
Making a smart bathroom: Smart toilet from Kohler
The bathroom isn’t to be forgotten in all this…there’s a smart toilet that you really never have to touch. It handles all operations for you for lifting or lowering the seat to… well, let’s say clean up. Kohler’s Numi 2.0 will lift and lower the seat for you, flush, and there’s even a bidet wash arm that will extend for some, ahem, extra cleaning power. And of course, soft pasel LED lighting built in means you never need to turn on the lights on a midnight bathroom break.
Technically the toilet was announced last year at CES 2019, but that just means you can buy it today… for about $6,000.
Kohler also makes a smart shower head with a speaker, a joint partnership between Kohler and Harman Kardon, that naturally has built in voice assistant control. I’d love to get hands on with the Moxie.. so hopefully post-CES I can test one out.
U by Moen: look mom, no hands!
U by Moen: look mom, no hands!There’s also a tap you can talk to from Moen that will dispense exact amounts of water on voice command, and can make the water a precise temperature too. U by Moen smart kitchen faucets provides the extra set of hands everyone needs in the kitchen. A neat idea; precise measurements, exact temperature and unlimited personalized presets–and voice-activation technology thanks to Google Assistant, this tap is your hands-free kitchen helper.
Any of these gadgets interest you? Let me know in comments below and I’ll dig into those this week at CES 2020!
