CES 2024: The 25 Best Non-Obvious Innovation Award Winners
Rohit Bhargava
Keynote Speaker | Trend Curator | Non-Obvious Company Founder | Best-Selling Author | Listener
The week has finally come to a close and one of the most magical things about CES is how quickly the innovation categories change from one hall to another. In the convention center you can see the world's first transparent 8k TV set steps away from a high end RV camper concept vehicle. Futuristic kidney dialysis machines are a five minute walk away from next generation robotic lawn mowers.
Take a ten minute cab ride off to the Aria hotel and you'll see the online advertising industry gathered to talk about the future of ad revenue and media streaming. Thankfully, this also happens to be the one place where the very noticeable gender imbalance from the rest of the show corrects itself. In the media and marketing industries, women are in charge.
Off in the basement of the Venetian is the optimistically titled Eureka Park, a showcase of hundreds of smaller startups from across the globe. Welcome to CES, the world's biggest trade show.
This annual gathering of chaos that not only fuels the entire tech industry but also brings to life technology that will one day be commonplace in our lives. How do you cover a show like this and write about it?
This year, I chose to spend more time wandering and less time doing meetings or tours. Instead, I spoke to people on the floor, listened what people were reacting to and used that to focus my attention.
What I have been looking for are the most "non-obvious" innovations that cut through the clutter. I think I found some. So here, without further ado, are my choices for the twenty-five innovations to watch from CES 2024 (in no particular order):
1. Moss Air
This is a 2-in-1 air purifier and humidifier using the principle that moss works as an air purifier. It's an idea that surprisingly no one has really leveraged before and one that I had seen (and funded!) in a Kickstarter some time ago so it was nice to see the concept getting some attention here at CES as well. I love the UX design of the product too, which uses the elegant solution of a weighted marble to allow to switch between terrarium and personal humidifier modes.
2. LG Signature OLED Transparent TV
Yes, this is a wireless entirely transparent 4k television. It was only a matter of time before someone did it, but seeing it in person is pretty stunning. While the marketing for this is a bit overblown: "frees users from the long-standing problem of what to do with the ‘big black screen.’" That's not really a problem I think most people have. Rather, sticking a beautiful transparent TV in the middle of a room probably presents some new problems for people (ie - running into it by accident). Still, even if technology is one of those we-built-it-because-we-can innovations, the result is undeniably impressive.
3. Clicks Creator Keyboard
Are you old enough to remember the beautiful user experience of the Blackberry. If you've been dreaming about having a keyboard again but thought it would never happen in touch screen world, you're in luck. The Clicks Creator Keyboard offers a full keyboard for iPhone users through a case attachment and when I tested it at the CES show yesterday it definitely delivers a great experience. While it makes sense to only start with making it for the most popular iPhone models, it's something other manufacturers (hint Samsung!) might want to think about developing or commissioning for themselves.
4. Siemens Industrial Metaverse
Most of us know the metaverse as a science-fiction imagined place where might create an avatar and GO to do virtual things. Siemens vision for the metaverse is much different, as CEO Dr. Roland Busch noted in a standing-room only keynote presentation to open the show where he promoted the industrial metaverse as the key to bridging the gap between the virtual world and the real one. The presentation brought examples from racing to factory design in order to bring to life the idea of "digital twins" as a way to create fully immersive and testable 3D models for buildings, products and even champagne. The result can lower production time and cost and enable a whole new generation of things. Given that 40% of the world's factories already run on Siemens technology, this industrial metaverse concept has the potential to really change the way everything is made.
5. Celestron Origin Intelligent Home Observatory
Being an amateur home astronomer can be magical, but it's also hard. Most of us live in places with too much light pollution to truly experience the wonder of a full night sky. Powerful telescopes take up a lot of space and even if you solve those first two problems, you still need to build enough knowledge to know where to point the telescope to see anything interesting. The Celestron Origin Intelligent Home Observatory solves these problems beautifully, pairing their telescope with an astronomy app, adding AI features to enhance images and transforming the home astronomy experience in the process.
6. Lenovo Magic Bay
Continuing their quest to build more flexibility into their suite of popular laptops, Lenovo introduced their new Magic Bay system as a way to extend the functionality of laptops with bonus interchangeable add-ons. It's a unique approach to integration with the laptop that avoids all the USB plug-in device messiness and allows for sleek integration of other devices that easily snap onto the back of a laptop screen. High quality webcam, extra extendable screens and the potential for many other third party tools makes this an interesting ecosystem expansion.
7. Withings Beamo Multiscope Device
Clearly this device is inspired by the medical tricorder from the Star Trek universe. It's a fact the marketing team from Withings clearly knows, as they enlisted actor Robert Picardo (known for his portrayal of an emergency medical holographic doctor on Star Trek Voyager) as their celebrity demo spokesperson. The device itself checks body temperature, listens to the heart and lungs like a digital stethoscope, runs a medical grade ECG and checks blood oxygen levels.
8. Xpeng AeroHT evTol Flying Car
Every year CES has new concepts for flying cars, and every year they seem closer. This year, Asia's largest maker of flying personal vehicles showcased some beautiful technology and were one of the hits of the show with their evTol concept flying car. The demo videos are worth a watch, as you glimpse into a future that is getting closer and closer.
9. XGIMI Aladdin and HORIZON Max projectors
Short throw projectors that can be placed close to a wall or even inside a drawer in an entertainment unit are an emerging category in home entertainment. XGIMI took it a step further this year, winning innovation awards for their ceiling mounted projector that looks just like a lamp, but offers large wall projections, as well as their super high definition portable 4k Horizon Max projectors which are the first in the world to show IMAX quality projections. Look for lots more competition and innovation in this space as projectors offer more portable and space saving ways to enjoy entertainment.
10. Swarovski Optik AX Visio Smart Binoculars
This may be one of the world's most advanced smart binoculars clearly created for the avid birder. Aside from using digital focusing techniques to offer clear sights, the binoculars have an on-board camera to take pictures and once you do the on-device database can help identify what bird you're looking at (without a network connection). You can also share your images and most importantly, your location with friends so if they act fast they might also see what you see. This is a master level device with a corresponding price tag of $4799 but you can expect some of the innovations here to trickle down into lower priced options in the future as well.
11. Midbar Air Farm
This is the "Lightest SmartFarm in the World," an inflatable module package that turns into a farm in any environment (particularly low water venues) and can help grow food. The benefits of this model in terms of saving resources are amazing. It uses 99% less water than conventional agriculture and 90% less than typical hydroponic systems. Their materials also share that fertilizer usage is reduced by 60%, and pesticide usage by 100% since crops are protected inside.
12. SQPV Energy Harvesting Clear Solar Glass
Imagine a future where your window panels could double as solar energy collectors? SQPV has developed an advanced glass that generates electricity from sunlight and also harnesses energy from invisible light. It's a perfect example of a component technology that garners attention at CES and then makes its way into more innovative products and even inspires new product ideas to be developed just because it exists.
领英推荐
13. Barsys 360 Cocktail Mixer and Coaster 2.0
The Barsys 360 is a smart cocktail mixer where can preload up to six ingredients into the machine and it will mix many different cocktails based on an app with programmed recipes. The device is futuristic and mixes a pretty good drink (yes, I did a trial at CES!). Even more interesting is that their suite of products also includes the brilliant simple Coaster 2.0, which pairs with a recipe app and helps you pour exactly the right proportions of multiple ingredients by measuring as you pour and telling you when to start and stop pouring each ingredient. Taken together, these products are helping bring technology to the complexities of mixing the perfect drink at home and making it just a little easier.
14. Studio Lab Photo-bot
Korean brand Studio Lab has created a full suite for brands and marketers to create product images for selling online using an automated process. One fascinating component of their solution is the Photo-bot which is a device that is trained based on what images professional studio photographers have taken in order to generate similar images from a photo shoot. What it doesn't capture, obviously, is the dynamic between a photographer and a human subject that leads to great photos or the ability to do something non-obvious. Yet, if brands are looking for still images of a product in 4-5 predictable angles, this solution will likely be very popular.
15. Bosch Gun Detection System
This might be the most tragic innovation on the list, but also perhaps the best use I saw all week of surveillance tech for good. The Bosch Gun Detection system pairs video and audio AI to "prioritize proactive security and safety involving guns at schools." Any use of technology that can help reduce school shootings in the US should be cause for celebration and this one is on the list specifically because of that. Now all we need are Kickstarter or DonorsChoose campaigns from schools and teachers raising money so underfunded schools can afford to install this tech. Sad but true.
16. Mirai Speaker
Thanks to an impromptu lesson in how sound waves travel, I learned that a curved speaker can help sound travel significantly further and particularly mid-range sounds. Given this little scientific reality, it's enough to make you wonder why more speakers aren't leveraging this detail in their design. The Mirai speaker does, delivering a beautiful clear sound at significantly further lengths without the need to increase volume and distortion too. It's being positioned as an ideal speaker for the older generation, but could also provide a more enjoyable experience for anyone who wished they could get clearer dialogue on a show or movie without turning up the volume.
17. Powerfoyle Bendable Solar Panels from Exeger
If you never have to charge an item, does being fully charged even matter? That was an accidental thought experiment I was forced to ponder as I did an interview with the CMO from Exeger, the Swedish company behind the new Powerfoyle Bendable Solar Panels that are making their ways into all sorts of consumer electronics devices. In one use case, the panel goes across the top bridge of a pair of headphones, continually charging them throughout the day in sunlight AND indoor light. So it's continually charging, never running out of battery and always available. The marketing team is also pursuing the very smart strategy of making the brand name interchangeable with this type of charging so it gains even more widespread awareness. Layer on top the brand's commitment to sustainable manufacturing and their clean factories located just outside Stockholm and it's easy to see why Powerfoyle was one of the most popular component technologies at CES this year.
18. Bunafr Coffee Grinding & Roasting System
If you are a coffee connoisseur, you know that the shelf life of fresh roasted coffee beans is eight to ten days maximum. After that, your coffee gets stale. Most high end coffee producers, therefore, sell coffee in batches with very specific expiration dates and encourage you to drink your coffee fast enough to finish. Bunafr offers a different way, based on a new product from founder Anjani Annumalla who decided to reverse engineer a method for roasting coffee beans at home. His device allows users to buy green unroasted coffee beans which have a shelf life of more than a year, and then roast them at home. Not only does this ensure you're always using freshly roasted beans, but you can also choose your own roasting levels. This was probably the most non-obvious of the MANY coffee-related innovations presented at CES this year.
19. ELLUSTR?S SMART Automated Ergonomic Office Chair
With the rise of remote work, more and more people are utilizing "hot desks" at work. Many times, what this looks like in real life is someone going into the same office multiple times a week but sitting at a different desk. Obviously, it's unrealistic to have your own office chair - but thanks to the idea from a new startup, there may still be a way for these workers to have a chair that is ergonomically customized for them. ELLUSTR?S uses their own proprietary TR?S app to measure a user's body profile and then set an ergonomic positioning on the chair customized for them.
20. EssilorLuxottica’s Nuance Audio Frames
There is a problem that people with all levels of hearing loss experience and it's generally described as "the cocktail party problem." In that sort of party, hearing loss becomes even more pronounced and it's hard to hear anyone or hold a normal conversation. EssilorLuxottica introduced an ingenious solution to this problem with their new Nuance Audio frames which act as glasses and an audio amplifier. The way it works is that audio that is coming from the direction in which the wearer looks gets enhanced. So you can enhance audio coming from someone in a conversation simply by directing your gaze on them. Come to think of it, there are some situations at loud parties where I would love to have something like this.
21. PEEL Labs Pineapple Leather
PEEL Labs is a Japanese B2B startup that has made a new kind of leather out of what would usually be thrown away. They are leveraging fruit peels from juice factories, starting with pineapple and creating high end soft pineapple leather that can be used by the fashion and retail industry to make new products. It's a great story and mission, the product feels great and it's exactly the kind of world changing concept we should all want to see become a great success.
22. Auracast Bluetooth Special Interest Group
The use case for a new audio experience called Auracast being introduced by the company that manages the Bluetooth standard came immediately for many travelers as they headed to a crowded airport to leave Las Vegas after a tiring week of tech meetings. This new app offers the opportunity to create multiple Bluetooth signals in public spaces where users can select which one they want to pair with. You could use this to connect to get only gate announcement for your gate, or select the audio track from a public tv amongst others to listen to what you want. It's a brilliant idea for extending the standard and one that you could easily imagine benefitting a lot of people almost immediately.
Retarch: Renewable Starch Alternative Plastic
The world definitely needs more alternatives to plastic. Retarch has one and earned an innovation award from CES this year for their pioneering efforts to create a starch-based plastic alternative that is as strong and durable as petroleum-based plastic, but eco-friendly and 100% biodegradable. Like many components, they are hoping that the visibility from CES will help them find more partners to leverage their technology to implement into more sustainable packaging.
24. ORo Pet Robot Buddy
Dog owner guilt is real when you have to leave your dog at home for long stretches of time, but now the ORo Pet Robot Buddy from maker Ogmen can watch, play with, walk and even feed your dog. There's even a screen so your dog can see your face as it interacts with the bot. The product is fun, cute and definitely serves a need that exists in the world.
25. Parkie Robot Parking Valet
There are a lot of reasons why having a robot valet park cars makes sense. It can be programmed to park into tight spaces. Car doors don't need space to open to let someone out. They can work faster then human valets and navigate cars around any variety of barriers or tight corners. The HL Mando Parking robot is also one of the first styles of robotics that humans are likely to encounter on a daily basis to do a sort of mundane task and to do it welll. The more we see robots doing and succeeding at things like this, the more we will feel comfortable relying on them to do that and much more.
How Were The Innovations On This List Selected?
Based on early reviews, interviews and research from the trade show floor here in Las Vegas for CES 2024, these technologies and products were the ones that stood out to us as fascinating, unusual or had the potential to inspire more game changing innovations from others. Our aim in selecting these was to offer a cross section of the fascinating ideas spread across the convention this week.
Global Foresight Director at McDonald's | Looking Outside Podcast Host | Founder of FIG
10 个月Nice article, but most of these are very obvious.
Leadership Performance, Management Consultant, Executive Coach, Builder of Winning Teams
10 个月Great stuff.
Co-Founder @ Evolusen | Influencer Marketing Platform | connect with vetted travel, lifestyle and foodie influencers
10 个月Totally agree that LG didn't need a reason to build the transparent TV! I also love the moss air, Lenovo magic bay and XGIMI Aladdin and HORIZON Max projectors!
CEO, Smith Publicity, Inc.--Book, Author and Expert Brand Promotion--Celebrating more than 25 years in business! Book Publicist
10 个月Love the mix of products here! I hope Withings Beamo Multiscope Device becomes available soon. I'd buy it for my 86 year old dad--who keep meticulous home health records. Thank you, Rohit Bhargava!