AI mental health mirror, flying cars, and more: The coolest and quirkiest tech from CES 2024
All the cool (and creepy) tech and gadgets from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) show us one thing: we are living in the future.
From Jan. 10 to 12, tech companies from all over the world have gathered for the annual CES 2024 where they showed off all their latest creations featuring new implementations of AI and a future look at what gadgets and cars of tomorrow could be like.
To name a few, Apple announced the launch date for its mixed-reality Vision Pro headset, and LG and Samsung have each unveiled their own transparent televisions. Here's a look at other cool and quirky tech from CES 2024 that looks picked straight out of a sci-fi movie.
An AI-powered mental health mirror to boost your mood and confidence
This gadget brings the Evil Queen from Snow White's mirror to shame. From Baracoda comes the BMind, a smart mirror powered by AI that claims to be able to improve its user's mental health by determining mood and evaluating one's mental state. In turn, it will recommend exercises and activities to elevate their mood.
Running on CareOS, the mirror fits into the bathroom and provides mindfulness practices like affirmations for its user.
Smart binoculars for identifying birds and other animals
Attention, birdwatchers! Swarovski developed its own smart binoculars, the Optic AX Visio, which can help identify birds and other wildlife. It's used the same way as analog binoculars but with a touch of a button its smart element comes in when you press a button to find out what bird you are looking at.
The binoculars are 10x32 with 1,000 field of view, GPS-enabled, and has a 13MP camera capable of taking 1080p videos.
A toothbrush that cleans all of your teeth in 20 seconds
To help people with the monotonous task of brushing their teeth, there's Y-Brush. This electric toothbrush, composed of 35,000 nylon bristles, promises to clean the top and bottom rows of your teeth in just a few seconds. It's compatible with any jaw shape and is battery-powered.
Sony controlling a new electric car with a PS5 controller
During a special presentation from Sony and Honda, the two companies introduced a new electric car, named Afeela, which looks cool with sleek exteriors. The icing on top of the keynote, however, was how the vehicle was driven on stage empty—Sony Honda Mobility president Izumi Kawanishi controlled the car with a PS5 controller.
The prototype uses Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5.3 to power its 3D graphics and driver assistance feature and has a yoke steering wheel.
Flying cars have arrived
Speaking of cars, CES 2024 also featured a couple of flying cars in the showroom from Chinese automaker Xpeng and Hyundai.
Hyundai's S-A2 flying taxi concept looks a lot like a smaller helicopter and can seat five passengers, including the pilot. It can fly at 120 miles per hour at 1,500 feet.
Revealing #Supernal’s newest eVTOL concept, S-A2 at the CES 2024!
— Hyundai Motor Group (@HMGnewsroom) January 9, 2024
Get a closer look at the overall clean, minimalist outlook with details to maximize passenger experience.#SA2 #AAM #eVTOL #CES2024 pic.twitter.com/oPt9nIa171
Meanwhile, Xpeng's flying vehicle looks a lot more like a car and helicopter hybrid with its four wheels. The car features drone-style eVTOL propellers which fold up into the roof of the car when not in use. However, the flying car remains a concept as Xpeng didn't exhibit it in flight.
This AI gives ChatGPT a face
On the creepier side of tech unveiled at CES, company WeHead showcased a product that gives AI chatbot ChatGPT a face.
The head aims to sit on your desk and looks like two phones put together. It looks a bit eerie but it aims to provide users with spatial videos for 3D video calls. To make things even creepier, the device speaks with its own voice, but it's more robotic, sounding like Siri.
Razer's haptic chair for next-level gaming
Razer debuted a world first with Project Esther, an HD haptics gaming chair cushion that adds to the immersive gaming experience. Coupled with a VR headset, you'll really feel like you're in the game.
The cushion makes realistic tactile sensations and has positional haptics so gamers have a sense of direction, distance, and location as they play sitting on the chair.
Introducing Project Esther—the world’s first HD haptics gaming cushion from #RazerCES2024: https://t.co/ozsTOhxV25
— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) January 9, 2024
Powered by Razer Sensa HD Haptics, feel your games like never before with the most lifelike tactile sensations that envelop your whole body. #CES2024 pic.twitter.com/PswBvdqPby
Shoes that will make you walk faster
From startup Shift Robotics comes Moonwalkers, shoes that will make its users walk faster. The shoes first went viral in 2022 but its creators revamped the model to make the footwear, which look a little bit like skates, lighter and easier to use.
The way the robotic shoes work is has wheels that turn each step of yours into a glide, propelling you a bit further than you usually step. Each piece of footwear weighs 3.2 pounds and has six wheels on each foot.
Alexa’s Character.AI that impersonates even late figures like Socrates and Albert Einstein
Amazon's virtual assistant technology app Alexa lets users converse with different personalities from several fields of discipline through Character.AI.
Character.AI allows talking even to the dead, including Greek philosopher Socrates and German scientist Albert Einstein.
It also lets users play games, including finding Princess Peach in Nintendo's Super Mario.
To use it, just say, "Alexa, open Character.AI" and voila. They would then be asked whether they like to speak with personalities or play games.
Asus' first portable and foldable monitor
Asus launched its first-ever portable and foldable monitor, the ZenScreen Fold OLED MQ17QH.
It has a 17.3-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which may also be used as a second display for another device. It weighs about 2.65 lbs (1.2kg) and is about the size of a regular laptop.
There are also two USB Type-C ports and an HDMI connection, a socket that allows it to be set up at eye level with a tabletop tripod, and a kickstand for either a portrait or landscape orientation.
Amazfit Helio Ring with customized sleep sounds and sleep reports
Amazfit has a new Helio Ring that's more than just one's average fitness tracker and wellness gadget.
It has customized sleep sounds that intelligently adjust based on one's body response. Its meditation and relaxation sounds allow for better sleeping habits and peace of mind.
It also provides users with detailed weekly and monthly sleep reports that include sleep health assessments and powerful insights.
The Helio Ring works with the Zepp Wellness Coach, which proactively analyzes one's sleep and answers wellness questions via an AI chatbot. (with additional reporting from Nick Garcia)
