The annual Consumer Electronics Show opens on January 7 and will host over 4,500 exhibitors in Las Vegas.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking centre stage as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world’s largest tech fair, kicks off this week in Las Vegas.
From personal tech and health care to climate solutions, AI was incorporated into multiple gadgets on display amid previews of the multi-day event.
Consumer Technology Association (CTA) boss Gary Shapiro says AI will become more personalised and help to “make lives better”.
“The chip companies are talking about what you can do with AI,” Shapiro said.
“We’ll see the companies themselves, the PC companies, also focusing on personalisation, new products that will really give a push for the PC marketplace and laptop marketplace,” he added.
“And then, of course, there’s AI being used in mobility, and it’s just not in cars and self-driving, it’s being used in all sorts of vehicles”.
Products designed to improve people’s day-to-day lives
The US robotics company Roborock is showcasing what it claims to be the “world’s first” vacuum cleaner with a robotic arm.
The machine, which uses AI, can identify and put away small objects under 300 grams such as socks, shoes, and towels.
“AI is really important because, without artificial intelligence and machine learning, the robotic arm is just a robotic arm,” said Ruben Rodriguez, a senior manager of global PR and communications at Roborock.
“But thanks to machine learning, it’s able to actually recognise objects on the ground, walk around them, pick them up, and know where to go, where to place them,” he added.
Meanwhile, a robotic dog named Jennie can give people with dementia comfort. It can respond to voice commands and has touch sensors.
“She can rest comfortably on a person’s lap for hours at a time… she doesn’t walk, that would be a tripping hazard,” said Marissa Steingold, a marketing and sales account executive at Tombot.
“The idea is that she treats the symptoms of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, really by providing comfort and companionship round the clock,” she added.
French tech molluSCAN, meanwhile, uses molluscs and the latest digital technology to monitor water quality.
“If they are disturbed by any kind of pollution, we can detect it live and send messages, an early warning system if you want, to bring this information to our clients,” said molluSCAN CEO, Ludovic Quinault.
How necessary is AI in these products?
Some expressed doubts about the necessity of AI in some gadgets.
“There’s a lot that calls for AI and is trying to find a reason to be, but it’s not necessary,” said Carolina Milanesi, a technology expert, who added that this year was “more of the same”.
She said some gadgets were trying to solve problems that were not there to start with.
The annual trade show CES opens on January 7th, following two days of media previews.
It will host over 4,500 exhibitors across 232,000 square metres of floor space, according to its organisers.
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Video editor • Roselyne Min
