The annual Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas ended a day earlier than originally planned due to the recent surge of omicron cases around the world, but many companies were still able to show off all of the weird, wonderful, and exciting ways they are pushing technology forward. The show included a prototype car that could change colors, a keynote from Abbott about their plans to develop consumer biowearables called Lingo, and even a self-driving tractor from John Deere. But here are just a few of the products that stood out due to some applications of technology we haven’t seen before.
Masonite: Now Even Doors Can Be Smart
Masonite introduced the M-Pwr Smart Doors, which are the first residential exterior doors to integrate power, lights, a video doorbell, and a smart lock. The premium fiberglass doors connect to a home’s electrical system and WiFi network, but also include an emergency backup power source that can last up to 24 hours. Homeowners can use the Masonite M-Pwr smartphone app to program and control the door’s LED welcome lights as well as check if it is opened or closed. For now, the doors are only available for new home construction in Charlotte, NC, so we will have to see if this is a trend that catches on.
Withings: A Full Health Scale
Withings created its first smart scale back in 2009, but now has taken things up a notch. The Body Scan ($299.95) contains four weight sensors and 14 ITO electrodes within the platform, plus it also has a retractable handle with four stainless steel electrodes. All of these sensors can measure overall body composition (including whole-body fat and water percentage, visceral fat, muscle and bone mass, and extracellular and intracellular water); record a 6-lead ECG to detect arrhythmias and asses arterial health; track sweat gland activity in the feet and provide daily assessment of small nerve activity; and more.
Asus: The Foldable Screen Gets Larger
We have seen smartphones with foldable screens, but Asus has introduced the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED—the world’s first 17.3-inch foldable OLED laptop. The touchscreen can be folded in the middle to create two 12.5-inch 1920×1280 displays or completely shut to a compact 12.5-inch size. Combined with the detachable ASUS ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard and touchpad, you can explore multiple user modes (including PC, Laptop, Tablet, On-Screen Keyboard, Book, and Extend) to take advantage of the design as you see fit. The laptop has the latest 12th Generation Intel Core i7 U-Series processors and a 75 Wh battery.
Noveto: A New Way to Deliver Sound
The Noveto N1 uses Smart Beaming technology to provide personal and immersive 3D binaural sound without headphones. Think cone of silence, but in this case, a cone of sound. The sound is beamed just outside of your left and right ear, while people nearby can barely hear a thing. So, whether you are at home or at work, you can listen to music, podcasts, a conference call, and more so that only you can hear it without having to wear anything in or on your ears.
L’Oréal: An Easy Way to Color Hair
Dyeing your hair can be messy and difficult, but L’Oréal is aiming to make the process much easier with the Colorsonic. This lightweight, handheld device uses a mess-free process to mix hair color and apply it evenly. You simply select a hair color out of 40 shades on the Colorsonic website. Then, you are sent a color cartridge that can be loaded into the device. Next, you brush your hair roots to ends for uniform color application. Wait 30 minutes, then rinse, style, and you are ready to go. L’Oréal plans to release the device in early 2023.
