10 Biggest Innovations From CES 2017
Robots, smart mirrors (and smart brushes, speakers, refrigerators and more) and 360 audio – just a few of the amazing innovations at CES this year.
Here at Unruly, we’re still buzzing from all the amazing products we saw in between meetings with brand and agency executives.
Here are some of our favourites:
- Washing Machines Of The Future – One of the most buzzed about items at CES was Samsung’s Flexwash Washing Machine, which has an extra compartment that lets you do two types of loads at once – your delicates at the top and perm press at the bottom. Both innovative and practical.
- 360 Audio – LG introduced the PJ9 Bluetooth speaker, which provides high quality 360 degree audio. But that’s not all – as the speaker battery dies, it lowers itself back into the charging dock for a recharge.
- Alexa’s Home Run – Amazon’s Alexa technology could be found everywhere at CES, with applications from VW, Ford, Hyundai, Whirlpool, Lenovo, Ubtech and Samsung. It’s now a true voice platform for multiple products and has a lead that Siri, Google Home and Microsoft Cortana will have a difficult time catching up with.
- Robot, Robot Everywhere – Robots were a common theme at CES this year. Ecovacs premiered its first multi-function robot, the Unibot. This new robot does everything from home security, air purification and floor cleaning – all conveniently controlled by an app. Meanwhile, LG introduced its Hub Robot, which can turn on an air conditioner or change a dryer cycle. But that’s not all – on top of responding to body language, it’s able to distinguish between family members with its built in camera.
- Oh Baby! – literally. Say hello to Hatch Baby – the new parenting device company that embeds digital, wireless and cloud technology into everyday nursery products. Its first launch, The Smart Changing Pad, allows parents to monitor their baby’s health wirelessly. The changing pad tracks babies’ growth, feedings, diapers and sleep – all on your smartphone.
- Mirror, Mirror On The Wall – Looking at your reflection just got a lot more interesting thanks to the new Ekko Mirror. It’s a touchless multimedia platform that lets you know that you are having a bad hair day, but also lets you know what the weather forecast is, what the time is and even play music.
- Speed Racer – Faraday’s FF91 is the fastest car to ever exist, going from 0-60 mph in just 2.39 seconds. Demand is so high for this new vehicle that it costs $5,000 just to get on the waiting list!
- Your Virtual Brushing Stylist – Brushing your hair just got a lot more personal. The Kerastase Hair Coach (a division of Nokia) has a built-in microphone that listens to the sound of your hair to monitor its health. The app then reports back with data and tips to take better care of your hair. The only downside is it’s not yet made for curly hair, but we’ll just wait and see what they have in store next CES.
- Teeny Tiny TVs – The LG Oled is just .15 inches thin and attaches to the wall. It’s only 17 pounds and is so thin it has to be put on a stand!
- Candid (Fridge)cam – Don’t you hate it when you go into the fridge looking for something to eat only to discover the only things left are a few rotten tomatoes and some questionable condiments you should have thrown away months ago. Well, Fridgecam is an app that make sure that never happens ever again. It’s basically a camera you put into your refrigerator. Every time you close the refrigerator door, the fridgecam takes a snapshot of what’s inside. With food and product recognition software, Fridgecam tracks your expiration dates and adds the expired or removed items to your shopping list in the app!
These innovations are no doubt exciting to see at CES. However, what will be more interesting is how the advertising industry capitalizes on the opportunities these technologies represent, in integrated and natural ways that don’t annoy the end user.
As you begin to promote these or other tech products as they come to market, be sure to reach viewers on sites where they are already consuming tech content.
