CES 2017 Best of Innovation Awards
At the annual CES Unveiled New York event late last year, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) revealed the Best of Innovation Honorees for CES 2017. Dozens of products were selected across 28 categories based on their engineering, design, functionality, consumer appeal, and their comparison to direct competitors and showcased in Las Vegas in January.
“The honorees stand as the best of ingenuity and design in the consumer tech industry,” said Karen Chupka, Sr. VP, CES and corporate business strategy, CTA. “These outstanding products exemplify the power and promise of the global consumer tech industry to produce breakthrough products and services that improve our lives and better our world.”
A lot of amazing products made the list this year. Below are just a few of the highlights.
Smart Remote by Sevenhugs
The idea of a “universal remote” is getting so much bigger. Smart Remote from Sevenhugs is a device compatible with over 25,000 different electronics that can adapt to each depending on where it is pointed. So long as a device can communicate with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Infrared technology, it can connect to the Smart Remote, regardless of age. Pre-orders for the remote are available direct from their website and ship starting June 2017 to early-bird backers.
Robo R2 3D Printer
3D printing technology is no longer the newest innovation consumer electronics has to offer, but companies like Robo are refusing to be satisfied with what already exists on the market. Their new R2 model is a Wi-Fi capable device that can pair with an app to give creative minds more access and freedom than ever. They also lead in print speed and have expanded their print area to 8x8x10 inches to offer a product that can keep up with the most serious of 3D printing professionals.
Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed
Fully integrated with biometrics and SleepIQ technology, the Sleep Number 360 smart bed offers relief to all who can never get a good night’s rest and a truckload of features for anyone else. It adjusts to quiet snoring, reads and counters your tossing and turning to produce a more comfortable sleep, just for you, and even warms your ice cold feet in the winter (no more unpleasant surprises for the spouse). So the real question here is “what can’t it do?”
Tilt Brush
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TckqNdrdbgk
The 21st century is here and Google has done away with one of art’s oldest conventions: the brush and canvas—or rather, given them a tech upgrade. Pairing with the HTC Vive, a virtual reality system, the Tilt Brush app allows any creative mind to paint in the world around them without limits! With intuitive controls and integrated sharing capabilities, you’ll be creating masterpieces viewed worldwide in no time.
PowerUp FPV Paper Airplane VR Drone
Imagine turning a simple paper airplane into a virtual reality experience. Well, now you don’t have to; PowerUp Toys has done just that. A cardboard viewer headset utilizes your smartphone and the Wifi camera module attached to the paper plane itself to put you in the cockpit. All you have to do to control the plane is simply tilt your head in the direction you want it to fly. Just try to avoid power lines and people!
Tobii Dynavox PCEye Mini with IS4 Eye Tracker
Tablets and computers rely heavily on the assumption that every user has functional hands with which to use them. However, some people don’t, and in a world that’s becoming more reliant on the internet and technology every day, they are getting left further and further behind.
Tobii Dynavox has come up with a solution in the form of the PCEye Mini. The world’s smallest and most robust eye tracker replaces the traditional keyboard and mouse setup to give disabled individuals access to tablets, laptops, and computers by using just their eyes. It’s intuitive, portable, and contains its own processor to keep your computer working at full speed. While this device may not fix everyone’s troubles with computer access, it’s a step in the right direction.
Zera Food Recycler
Reducing waste is not a trend; it’s progress—and the driving force behind the development of the Zera Food Recycler. With the press of a button, 95 percent of your family’s food waste can be converted into fertilizer perfect for your lawn, garden, or potted houseplants. No more large compost heaps that have to be meticulously maintained. Ready-to-use fertilizer can be at your fingertips within 24 hours thanks to the Food Recycler’s fully automated process. It even looks sleek and unobtrusive in the kitchen, and it’s app-enabled for unlimited access and ease of use. So, when May 2017 rolls around, will you still be dumping that waste into a landfill?
Another year at CES showcases a bright future for consumer electronics. To see more Best of Innovation award recipients, details, and pictures, check out the official page on the CES website. Also, keep an eye out for more winners later this year when the first annual CES Asia Innovation Awards appear at the show in June.
