More CES... Nearly Overwhelming
/Did I say CES was nearly overwhelming? That’s an understatement. This show really does go beyond what we imagined a technology show could be and it was impossible to see it all. After two days of ‘media only’, attending crowds descended upon Las Vegas in full force and CES officially opened at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). Needless to say, the shuttle bus and entry queues were long and tedious.
We parked for free at the Venetian self-park (a tip for anyone visiting Las Vegas and looking for free parking in the future). The convention is so large, there were booths at the Venetian Expo Center and other hotels as well as LVCC, so we started at the Venetian first then moved on on subsequent days to wander the LVCC booths.
Where to begin to describe what we saw? Every technology, every modality, and every industry was represented. To start, this show is considered a showcase for introducing new automotive technology. The world's fastest autonomous racecar, the Dallara AV-21, was on display eliciting plenty of oohs and aahs from passersby and affording lots of selfie and pose photos. “Lidar has emerged as the primary sensor necessary to unlock autonomy and allow the IAC’s Dallara AV-21 racecars to safely reach record-setting autonomous driving at land speeds of up to 192.2 mph and oval track racing speeds of 173 mph.” Wow!
More than 160 automotive technology companies, including 10 major automakers like BMW, Mercedes, Dodge RAM, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Honda, Renault, and Toyota, were on hand displaying their newest, fastest, classiest models with lots of new features and future promises. EVs ruled the day and new battery technology was forefront as a key automotive component.
And then there were the big guys like Caterpillar and their autonomous ‘big trucks’ and heavy equipment.
The world’s population is burgeoning at ~8 billion people and they all need to eat. John Deere’s farm of the future was a fascinating look at what’s in store for food production and farmers. In a keynote address, John May, CEO of John Deere discussed ‘how the real-world application of tech across the planet’s farmland affects all humans whether they realize it or not’.
As we wandered through, and walked, and walked the 4.6 million square foot exhibition halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, I was reminded of my aching feet and sore back having done countless trade shows in my career, standing for hours and chatting up the attendees. Being on the other side of the coin as attendees, we could take breaks and sit every once in a while.
We strolled through the country pavilions. France led the way with La French Tech and 140 French exhibitors touting their newest products and innovations. Also represented were Turkey, Italy, China, Korea, the UK, the USA and the Netherlands among others. There were also startups from Ukraine at this year’s CES despite the country’s ongoing war with Russia. Government-sponsored technology events such as these allow smaller start-ups to show their wares and perhaps get a jump start on funding and marketing.
A bonus… we spotted Prince Constantijn van Oranje of the Netherlands, the king’s brother, at one of the Dutch tech display booths. Unfortunately, he didn’t recognize us and thus didn’t stop to chat.
Prince Constantijn van Oranje (right) of the Netherlands speaks with a Wasteshark rep.
On the medical front, we found lots of innovative new personal defibrillators, more advanced home blood pressure monitors and ECGs that don’t require cuffs or leads, massagers, sweat analysis to track hydration, urine analysis on your own toilet for early detection of UTIs, fitness trainers, foldable e-bikes, stress reducers, smart stethoscopes, smart beds, and even at-home sperm testing. We watched a demonstration of the Frenz Brainband which purports to increase cognitive function.
The new FDA ruling allowing OTC hearing aids brought new and less expensive hearing technology to consumers, a definite plus for baby boomers among others.
There were educational toys for kids and we were introduced to Moxie, an AI robot-friend for kids ages 5-10, in the Amazon booth.
Pet health was also on display. Smart collars to keep your dog safe as well as keeping them off the furniture or in confined areas. Other smart collars kept track of your pet’s health. Smart litter boxes, smart food dispensers, a smart pet companion and one of my faves, Bird Buddy. More about Bird Buddy in my next blog.
I appreciated this booth’s signage… Wagz from the Dog NERDZ
These products caught my attention as examples in the “unusual and offbeat” category. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the image and read more description.
Next time, I’ll share my top five favorite products with you. See you soon!