Given the massive scope of CES, it’s easy to miss quirky and interesting items littered throughout the main show floors and other venues, even if there are fewer people in attendance. Add virtual attendance to the mix, and it’s even more challenging to keep on top of everything when you can’t really find something because it “catches your eye” or you notice a crowd around the booth.
With that said, after several days of virtually attending the show, we have put together a list of unique and compelling new products and innovations that you might have missed during your physical or virtual walks throughout the show floor.
Victrola Re-Spin Suitcase Record Player
This retro-styled record player comes housed in a suitcase design that makes it easy to carry around with you for a jam session with friends, or from your home to your cottage. Set for availability at about US$100 it blue, green, grey, or striking red, it also includes Bluetooth that works two ways so you can stream music from your phone to the record player’s internal speakers, or stream the record’s playback to wireless speakers for a more immersive sound experience. It also has a headphone jack, RCA ports, and internal pre-amp. Victrola says the dual speaker enclosure helps enhance the sound while also eliminating vibrations.
Ottonomy Ottobot Autonomous Delivery Robot
Using contextual mapping and navigation technologies, this delivery robot, designed for retail and restaurant industries, has already forged partnership with CVG Airport and Presto. At the airport in Cincinnati, it is already being used to deliver retail and food items to customers. In Los Angeles, meanwhile, Crave restaurant is using one for last-mile delivery to customers, while Presto customers have been receiving restaurant orders from these robots since December 2021. The bot creates a digital map of its serviceable area, which includes both indoors and out, updating its live location as it moves. It is able to navigate through crowded and unpredictable environments, says the company.
Pozio Cradle Wireless Charger and Listening Blocker
You might have heard rumblings about this device at the show but weren’t quite sure what it was and how it works. It is indeed a wireless charging cradle for compatible Qi phones of virtually any size. But it also uses patented technology to help block out the microphones from hearing private conversations. The company notes that it isn’t just smart assistants that could be listening in but also mobile apps that have been granted access to the microphone. Once you place a phone inside to charge, it will automatically protect privacy. If you want to interact with the phone, say “Pozio, Stop” and the sound blocking will be turned off for 30 seconds using the embedded speech trigger recognition system. The Pozio Cradle does not record a person’s voice, does not have a hard drive, and is not connected to the Internet to be able to store or share personal information. It is scheduled to be available by March 2022 and will sell for about US$109, or US$119 if you want the version with the option to deactivate the sound blocking.
Baracoda BBalance Bath Mat
We’re used to high-tech scales in the bathroom, but this innovative device embeds cool tech data into a bath mat design. The smart mat uses footprint recognition to log your weight, balance, and stability, as well as evaluate your posture. The artificial intelligence (AI) brains and pressure-mapping technologies are hidden beneath a removable, washable, soft, cotton bath mat so it blends into the décor. It has anti-slip backing as well. Step on it as normal, then use the iOS or Android app to see your progress. The app also provides daily coaching on everything from how to improve your posture and balance, tone muscles, and even reduce anxiety, particularly if you notice your weight fluctuating. You can load profiles for different family members while the sensors will be able to identify who is stepping on the mat and log the details in the right profile. The water-resistant mat connects via Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi and has an eight-month battery life, after which it requires recharging via USB. It comes with a removable, machine-washable cotton cover in a choice of colours. It’s expected to be available by Spring 2022.
Vuxiz M400-C Smart Glasses
The latest addition to Vuzix’s growing line of smart glasses is the M400-C smart glasses, which are expected to be available by the second quarter and sell for US$1,200. Designed to look similar to the flagship M400 smart glasses, they come with an autofocus HD camera that can stream 1,080p video at 60 frames-per-second, an OLED display, noise canceling mic, voice control, speakers, buttons, and touchpad. But unlike the M400, the M400-C is not a standalone computing device, but rather made to work as a USB-C peripheral attached to a portable computer or smartphone equipped with a USB-C DisplayPort Alt interface for video display, camera in, data connections and power.
Airthings View Pollution & View Radon
Airthings revealed two new products at the show: the View Pollution and the View Radon, which are both set to be available in early 2022. The View Pollution, which will sell for US$199, is Airthings’ first product that is primarily dedicated to measuring particulate matter. Measuring both PM 1.0 and 2.5, it tracks the particle size range that poses the most direct risk to our health, along with temperature and humidity. Airthings says it’s ideal for city dwellers, who are most frequently exposed to pollutants caused by the presence of construction activity, vehicle exhaust, and airborne chemicals. It’s also useful for those who own fireplaces or who live in wildfire-prone areas and at an increased risk of breathing in smoke, which can be harmful to those with respiratory conditions such as allergies and asthma.
The View Radon, meanwhile, offered at the same price, measures for radon levels. Both devices are wireless and make it easy to access data through the Airthings app and online dashboard. The View Pollution’s battery lasts for up to two years and the View Radon up to three.
Y-Brush Toothbrush
The concept and design is interesting, and the jury is still out on whether this would actually work or not (only dentists can answer that question!) But the toothbrush employs a Y-shaped design, as the name implies, with the goal of making it easy to brush more teeth at once, finishing in a reported 10 seconds. The Y-Brush itself is actually not new – it is already sold in more than 50 countries. But the new concept design revealed at CES boasts a new concave shape that more easily fits with your fingers and provides a better grip. It also has a non-slip base and works with induction charging. With the first-generation toothbrush, you need to chew and rotate while brushing. With this new one, you only need to move right to left. The brush still includes the NylonMed technology bristles but they are in an optimized orientation which the French company claims allows for better removal of dental plaque. There are six vibration modes: clean mode, which is standard, gum care mode to stimulate the gums, whitening mode, extra clean mode (increased and targeted vibration to remove tough stains), sensitive gums mode for those who suffer from gingivitis and other related conditions, and polishing mode. It also works with an app which will provide personalized recommendations while brushing, designed to help you improve your brushing experience.
Steambox Self-Heating Lunchbox
Keen-eyed readers might recall that we wrote about this heated lunchbox after seeing it in Eureka Park at CES 2020, the last show we attended in person. Back then, however, it was called the Heatbox. With a new name and features, it is almost ready for primetime. The idea is to heat up to three meals per charge right in the box, without the need for transferring food to an oven-safe dish or using a microwave. As the name implies, it heats the food inside using steam, so it’s ready to eat right just about anywhere. It connects to an app as well, which you can use to follow recipes, track calories, and connect to and start specific steaming programs. After two years, the product is set to finally become available later this year.
Magshin Touchless Self-Checkout System
One concern retailers have nowadays is keeping point-of-sale (POS) terminals constantly clean and sanitized. While contactless payments help, they aren’t usable for larger purchases. Mashgin has an interesting solution in its touchless self-checkout system that uses computer vision to identify items from virtually any angle and ring them up in a single transaction. This means customers, or cashiers, don’t have to search for the barcodes and hold them up to a scanner for reading. Just put the items down and pay. The system uses cameras to read visual information like colours, shapes, and sizes instead of barcodes or RFID. It can identify non-packaged items as well, like produce. Already deployed in more than 555 locations across the U.S., ranging from sports stadiums to airports, corporate cafeterias, and hospitals, it’s an interesting concept that could work well in some retail environments. The device measures 50 x 30 inches in size, easily fitting on a countertop. It requires two power outlets and connection to the Internet.
Mashgin Kiosks are sold as a service rather than a hardware purchase that includes the kiosk and all necessary peripherals, Mashgin proprietary computer vision software, cloud hosting and administration, ongoing software updates and upgrades, menu assessment, management training, system monitoring and support, and reporting and basic data API integration.