Gadgets of the future at Las Vegas consumer electronics show
FRENCH start-ups displayed some of the most innovative devices on show at CES Unveiled in Las Vegas this week.
WHAT is it about French firms and gadgets? French start-ups were responsible for many of the coolest gadgets trotted out for the opening event at the world’s biggest consumer electronics show, held this week in Las Vegas.
The CES Unveiled event is an opportunity for handpicked startups from around the world to promote cutting-edge electronic wares to hundreds of technology journalists, investors, entrepreneurs and analysts.
A dress belt that expands and says you’re putting on weight, cycling pedals that record travel data, hi-tech plant pots complete with sensors and a shoe accessory that speeds up walking were among the most popular on display. And they’re all the work of various French companies.
Popular is one thing; marketable is another. With the belt costing a packet and even a Parrot pot for your plant a possible three figures, some of these inventions are for cashed-up geeks only.
Many of these devices will be available to buy online, so Australians need not miss out. Alas, others that prove impractical or too costly may be destined for the tech scrap heap.
1. Belty. Emiota’s gizmo is the first of its type: a smart waist belt that expands and contracts with the body during the day, as you sit and stand and as it heats up, and as you gain and lose weight over time. It has a large buckle and looks straight out of a 1960s Star Trek episode. Co-founder Bertrand Duplat says the smart belt is packed with sensors that measure health metrics and can zap your waist gently to communicate with you.
2. Giroptic camera. This French firm displayed a 360-degree high-definition camera that’s suitable both for home security and for shooting home movies. These cameras are soon to be hot items, as they create images capable of being viewed through immersive virtual reality headsets such as the upcoming Oculus Rift. You don the headset and look around in all directions, as if you exist in that environment.
3. DroneMobile. Many new cars boast amazing tech capabilities such as door locks that can be activated from hundreds of kilometres away. The startup Firstech wants to bring these capabilities to older vehicles. Its remote control car system, DroneMobile, lets an owner remotely lock and unlock their car with a smartphone app. They also can track the car if it’s stolen.
4. Kwikset smartlocks. The US deadlock maker says users will soon be able to lock and unlock its smartlocks remotely — if a child left their school lunch at home, for example, you could remotely unlock the door for them. Currently you need to be at the door with a designated virtual key in your smartphone. Kwikset deadlocks will also work with Google’s Nest thermostat. So when you open the door, your air-conditioner will know when to switch on and Nest will determine the temperature.
5. Netatmo home security. The French firm showcased its new cylindrical home security camera, Welcome, which is capable of face recognition. It will know the difference between family members rummaging around and the local burglar passing through. You’ll get a phone notification telling you who has come home and when the burglar visits.
6. Rollkers SAS walker. The European technology firm displayed a prototype walking accessory that increases an average person’s walking pace to about 10km/h. It’s not a rollerskate, as you still stride normally. You feel more like you’re walking on an airport travelator. Rollkers is the invention of Paul Chavand, who says he has spent eight years on the project. The likely rollout is 2016.
7. Parrot pots. The popular Paris-based maker of the Parrot AR consumer drone showed off a plant pot with sensors that measure moisture, fertiliser levels, temperature and light. Its existing Flower Power sensor does this, but the new sensor also will add water when needed. You can also buy a sensor separately and placer a bottle of water on top of it. Parrot chief executive Henri Seydoux says both systems could water a plant for a month. Both will be launched this year.
8. Smarter appliances. The adage “a watched pot never boils” is rendered obsolete by London startup Smarter, which showcased WiFi-enabled kettles and coffee machines you can activate remotely. So you can switch your kettle on as you approach your home or when you’re in another room and have boiled water waiting when you walk in. No watching. You can also set schedules so your coffee is ready and waiting in the morning.
9. Logbar Smart Ring. This accessory lets you control your home with gestures. You can switch on lights, lock doors, open curtains and turn on an airconditioner or television using finger movements. This is the second version of Logbar’s Ring; the first was made of zinc, which can cause skin irritation. You need a Ring Hub for communication between your ring and home devices.
10. Smart pedals. In Vegas, Connected Cycle showed off what it claims is the world’s first intelligent bicycle pedal. The device automatically records your speed, route, elevation and calories burned, and it will notify you via an app if your bike is being used. You can also locate your bike using an app.
11. GoTenna. This decentralised communications system is useful for times when you’re off the grid with no access to phone towers, WiFi or satellite coverage — for example when bushwalking. Exchange text messages, share locations and chat on your smartphone by linking it to your GoTenna device, which communicates via long range radio to other phones linked by GoTennas. They could be up to 10km away, depending on terrain.
12. Belkin sensors. The established home internet firm launched four new WeMo sensors at the Vegas show. The first detects room motion but, unlike earlier models, also uses infra-red to distinguish between human and non-human motion; the second is a personalised key chain sensor for tracking loved ones, such as an elderly relative; and there’s also a window and door sensor. An alarm sensor will detect when, say, an old-fashioned, non-connected smoke or heat alarm goes off and will notify you via the internet.
Chris Griffith travelled to CES in Las Vegas courtesy of Acer, Sony and Samsung.