Star Wars Force band and many more smarter gadgets revealed ahead of the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show

ROBOT-MAKER Sphero has found a way to give non-Jedis access to ‘The Force’ and control the popular BB8 droid with their hand.

Latest Consumer Technology Products On Display At CES 2016

ROBOT-MAKER Sphero has devised a way to give non-Jedis access to The Force inside a smartwatch prototype revealed in the lead up to the Consumer Electronics Show today.

The wearable device, dubbed the Star Wars Force Band, works in conjunction with its BB-8 robot and lets users command the adorable companion to and fro with hand gestures alone.

The Force Band prototype is a plastic wristband with a light to indicate it’s connected to the BB-8 robot.

Using the wristband, users can call the robot towards them with a pulling gesture and send it away with a pushing gesture.

Other commands include spinning on the spot -- it will follow your lead -- and getting the BB-8 to nod in agreement when you punch the air.

Sphero's BB-8 technical prototype with Force Band is displayed during a press event for CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Picture: Getty

The commands and how the wearable device operates is likely to change before its release, however, with Sphero revealing plans to launch the Force Band in Australia’s spring.

While Disney has yet to confirm a release date or even a title for its next intergallactic instalment, Star Wars: Episode VIII could be released late this year, delivering more reason to invest in a BB-8 robot and the ability to command it like Poe Dameron.

The toymaker will also release a slightly battle-scarred version of the BB-8 app-controlled robot in the coming months.

Sphero’s new gadget comes after internet-connected sneakers that count your steps and heat your feet, an alarm clock you can talk to, a shower head that dobs when you’ve used too much water, and connected cameras for your fridge were among the first gadgets also revealed ahead of the world’s biggest technology show today.

The wave of smart technology adding internet connections to everyday items is already proving one of the biggest trends at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, even days before it opens.

The smart gadgets are expected to fuel record spending on consumer technology this year, with Consumer Technology Association chief executive Gary Shapiro revealing Americans were expected to splash out $US287 billion on technology in 2016.

“As more products become connected, we’ll be able to manage our lives in ways that weren’t possible even just a few years ago,” Mr Shapiro said.

“The exponential growth of (Internet of Things) and the lightning-fast speed of innovation are key reasons we’ll see such strong growth across so many tech categories.”

But not all smart products are the kind you would expect.

A Fridge Cam that snaps a photo as your fridge closes and sends it to your smartphone for reference at the grocery store. Picture: Supplied

Zhor-Tech revealed the world’s first internet-connected shoes at the packed CES Unveiled event, with chief executive Karim Oumnia calling them “like Back to the Future shoes but even better”.

The company’s Smartshoe, due for a spring release, will connect to a smartphone app and can track your steps, measure shock absorption, light your path with a lamp, and even warm your feet in winter.

“The Smartshoe provides a trendy solution to keep feet warm and comfortable in cold weather and is ideal for casual everyday activity,” Mr Oumnia said.

The smart shoes are due to be released in spring this year for $US450, and will need to be charged at least weekly.

For the bedroom, French firm Holi introduced a new type of smart alarm clock, the Bonjour, that connects to the internet to deliver Facebook notifications, traffic alerts, and work with other smart products.

Holi creative chairman Gregoire Gerard said users would talk to the smart alarm clock to set alarms and could give it very specific instructions such as “wake me up if there is a traffic jam on the way to my job”.

French firm Holi introduced a new type of smart alarm clock, the Bonjour, that connects to the internet to deliver Facebook notifications, traffic alerts, and work with other smart products. Picture: Supplied

The clock will launch in January next year for $US200.

Even the shower cubicle will not be immune from a smartphone connection, with Smart & Blue revealing the Hydrao smart shower head that warns users when they’re using too much water with a coloured LED light, and reports their water use to a phone app.

The $US99 product, due out in September, is powered by water pressure and doesn’t require a recharge.

UK company Smarter also revealed several internet-connected products for the kitchen, including Fridge Cam that snaps a photo as your fridge closes and sends it to your smartphone for reference at the grocery store.

Smarter’s Mats are also available for use beneath individual products, like milk and tomato sauce, as they report when their weight decreases and they need to be added to a shopping list.

And, as if to prove smart home technology has its fans, literally, Hunter revealed the first ceiling fan compatible with Apple’s HomeKit software.

Business development director Jeremy Tarr said the wireless internet-connected fan and light could be programmed to turn on as you return home, or could work in conjunction with a thermostat to automatically cool your house.

The Consumer Electronics Show will officially open on Thursday.