A smart ring for women’s health, a TikTok fridge and a self-driving pram: it must be time for the consumer tech world’s annual jamboree.
The CES conference in Las Vegas this week is hoping to bounce back to its pre-pandemic norms with eye-catching gadgets.
With 100,000 people and 3,000 companies in attendance, there is something for everyone, including the stressed new parent who doesn’t want to push a pram or sing a lullaby.
The Ella smart stroller can drive itself “hands free” when your toddler wants to be held rather than pushed and has a “rock my baby” and white noise mode to send a baby to sleep.
It is fully motorised, for parents who would rather not have to push their children up hills, and there are onboard sensors to warn about obstacles. The super pram, which comes with a hefty price tag of $3,300, was the brainchild of a Canadian couple after they became parents, and has received a CES innovation award.
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Other gadgets show that the marriage of health and wearable technology continues. There is a new smart ring aimed at women for “menstruation to menopause and beyond”. The Evie ring promises ovulation and menstrual tracking as well as including heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiration rate and skin temperature. It is expandable to accommodate body changes due to hormones and is set to be priced “under $300”.
Evie is aiming to be the first consumer wearable that is a certified medical device. The San Francisco-based maker, Movano, is applying to the US health regulator, the Food and Drink Administration, for certification of some of its metrics.
Tech companies have recently made strides to make their wearable gadgets appeal to women, with most of the major smartwatch makers offering period tracking.
However, those squeamish about handing over their sensitive data to commercial companies are recommended to read the privacy small print first.
Smart rings have become a new market for health as they are more likely to be worn all the time and have a better battery life than many watches. The market leader, the Finnish-made Oura ring, has received celebrity endorsement from Prince Harry, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian. Other brands preparing to launch include Circular, which is focused on health and McClear, which offers contactless payments.
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As wearable tech shrinks, screens are going in the other direction. Samsung has announced a giant 32in screen for one of its fridges. The screen on the Bespoke with Family Hub Plus is nearly double that of its predecessor and connects to mobile phones so you can dance to TikTok videos, watch TV, order your shopping and scroll through family photos in the kitchen. For those in the UK that think it’s a vision of hell, there is some relief as the product is launching in the US and Asia first, with pricing yet to be announced.
Computer screens are also getting larger, with Samsung unveiling the Neo G9, a 57in curved monitor for gamers to immerse themselves. You can also buy a TV from LG at 97in.
If size doesn’t matter to you, clarity may. Manufacturers are bringing TV-type resolution to computers as the lines between the two blur and gamers demand more. Monitors that feature OLED technology, which delivers sharper, brighter images, are being launched by Samsung as it tries to match the market leader LG in this area.
Samsung is also promising to show off a slidable, foldable screen that will turn your smartphone into a tablet and your tablet into a monitor.
Also marked out by a specialist panel for an award is a toothbrush that promises to clean your teeth in ten seconds. The French-made Y-Brush is more a mouthguard than traditional brush, with 35,000 nylon bristles. It claims to be as good as the recommended two-minute brush, a feat that escapes 85 per cent of the population. Dentists have not rushed to endorse it without scientific back-up for its claims and some have been sceptical that the design could be appropriate for all mouths. The device is not new this year, but it has been recognised for innovation in the home appliances category.
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Although CES is the leading conference for personal technology, Apple, Google and Amazon do not make major announcements, preferring their own bespoke publicity operations.
CES runs from January 5 to 8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It will be showcasing the latest technology from companies including Microsoft, Samsung, LG, Sony, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
