4 things a week: our top picks from CES
World
This week Keir Starmer came out with his plans to make the UK an AI superpower in a hope that it will increase productivity and boost the economy. Alongside vagueness in how they will power a new ‘sovereign data centre’ Starmer has opted for the UK to go their own way when it comes to copy-write rules.?
The proposal allows tech companies to freely use copyrighted material to train their AI models unless creative professionals and companies opt out of the process. But that’s nothing new, I think we all expect our creative work to be scraped to train some model at some point whether we like it or not. Perhaps more interestingly is how our NHS data would be used. I personally feel that healthcare is where AI has real merit, but to provide those benefits, it needs to build models on actual data. So naturally, in a country with a public healthcare provider, this has to come from the NHS. Using this to improve the treatment received by those who need it, reduce waiting times and improve services feels like a good thing. But obviously it isn’t the NHS itself that will be using the data. It’ll be private companies who will get given access to the data by the government with the intention of developing new treatments, drugs and diagnostic tools that they will then profit from.?
The intention is to simultaneously boost the economy and help the failing health service. Win win right? I’m not convinced. To me Kier Starmer’s gung-ho attitude to AI is concerning. Even Rishi was more cautious about the threats posed by AI. And we haven’t even got to the part about the UK diving into nuclear energy to power the ￡14bn data centres needed to support these grand AI development plans. Or the concerns already growing over water shortages surrounding the data centre zones…
Are we looking at a HS2 sequel??
Innovation? ?
It was CES last week. No doubt if you work in AI there was something to get excited about, but it struck me as mostly the same old thing we see year on year. Lighter this, brighter that, things that bend that don’t really need to and products with features we can surely live without. The irony of all of this genius, money and innovation 4 hrs drive away from a city being devastated by the impacts of climate change - the one problem they can’t seem to solve,?was not lost on me.?
However, amongst the roomba with a robot arm to move your lazy ass pants out the way, laptop with an expanding screen and spoon that tricks you into thinking things taste salty, there were a few innovations that stood out. These are the top picks from the team?
Paper battery (selected by Ben Melvin )
Now I’m no battery expert, but I’m fairly certain that ‘paper’ is a misleading term. The main material in this new battery technology from Flint is indeed cellulose; what paper is made from. But much like a lithium battery there is still an anode and cathode. In this case lithium, nickel and cobalt are replaced with zinc and manganese; significantly more abundant and safer elements. These sit either side of the cellulose (paper) layer that is coated in a hydrogel that acts as the electrolyte ferrying ions between the electrodes in use. Flint state that the batteries are compostable, biodegrading in as little as 6 weeks, however I would assume this is dependent on the battery size. Put it this way, you won’t be digging a hole in the garden to dispose of your old car battery in the future.?
The latest data suggests that Flint has a way to go to match the capacity and longevity of lithium ion batteries, but having just secured $2m investment and no doubt getting a tonne of attention in Vegas, I’m interested to see where this goes. Whilst it’s unlikely to be replacing your smartphone battery, think of the impact it would have to all the disposable products with Li batteries, particularly in diagnostics (think pregnancy tests) that end up in landfill/incineration.?
AI me modular companion robot (selected by Léa Berger )
This has to be one of the most compelling characters in the AI robot race, I mean just look at that cute face. The fact that it’s designed for surveillance, constantly monitoring and recording your families activities feels like a privacy and security nightmare. Probably fortunate that it’s just a concept by TCL at this stage.?
Petal nature camera (selected by Andy Trewin Hutt )
After raising €4.2m on Kickstarter with Bird Buddy, a smart bird feeder (‘smart’ meaning a bird feeder with a camera and companion app), the Wonder team are back with Petal. Also built around a camera, with a design inspired by flower, Petal is designed to connect you with nature by bringing you updates and photos from the plant and animal life in your garden. Working alongside modular Wonder Blocks: hexagonal shaped structures that include a bee & bug hotel, planter and butterfly feeder, the company aim to inspire the connected generation to bond with nature through beautiful design and a friendly interface.
We just love this for the considered industrial design and relative simplicity of the device. The power that a photo of a garden animal can have in reminding you that there is a whole world outside in your garden to explore can be really powerful. Since my father got a camera trap set up in his garden he takes great pride in sharing blurry photos of badgers, foxes and deer that have wandered in and he has now turned his garden fully over to nature. This ultimately means it looks an absolute mess (in the traditional garden sense), but spending summer evenings watching the bats diving down over the ‘meadow’ that was once the family lawn really is pretty magical.?
Petal will be on Kickstarter in the spring.
Inspiration
It’s that time of the year where I’m planning my 2025 calendar and not gunna lie, there are some exciting things in the diary this year. With both SXSW and the World Design Congress coming to London, it’s a big year for the capital.?
On top of that, the Morrama team is heading to Milan Design Week, where we are teaming up with Nothing and TDC PR to host a run club that we’ll also be bringing to London Design Festival later in the year.?You can find our more and sign up to the rub club here.
You’ll be seeing me pop up here and there with a few speaking engagements, more to follow, but for now - design highlights for you to factor into your schedules:
Milan Design Week 7-13 April 2025
Design Shanghai 4-7 June 2025
SXSW London 2-7 June 2025
World Design Congress London 9-10 September 2025
London Design Festival 13–21 September 2025
Design Mumbai 26-29 November 2025
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P.s. Just incase you got to the end of this and aren't sure who I am, I'm:
Founder of Little Riot - Building technology that still cares about being human
1 个月I've heard CES was a bit bleak this year!
Associate Director at Morrama (Certified B Corp) | Problem solving for startups and individuals | Advisor and consultant
1 个月The planters, the cameras and the little solar petals were a welcome slice of escape from the CES robot and screen show. But Ben and Lea's picks are super interesting! Julien Vaissieres thoughts on the planter?...