A LOOK AT SOME OF THE WILDEST IDEAS ON DISPLAY AT CES
CES 2018’s wildest gadgets and out-there ideas that could catch on
LAS VEGAS» Are you ready to talk to your toilet? Or cuddle with a robot?
Those are just a few of the ideas we saw at CES 2018, the annual consumer technology confab here at the Las Vegas Convention Center and other venues. Sure, there are tech titans here battling to control our computers, TVs and smart homes. But our favorite part is the thousands of other companies that gather to launch something new. While these ideas sometimes catch on, like fitness trackers and wireless ear buds, many go nowhere. But the eager attempts are always interesting and often say something about where we’re headed in our relationships with technology. Here are the most out-there ideas that caught our attention.
Provided by Kohler
Kohler Numi, an internet-connected toilet
Kohler’s latest high-end toilet connects to the Internet and responds to voice commands. Beyond flushing, you can ask Amazon’s Alexa (as well as Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri) to lift the seat or activate your favorite bidet spray configuration. There are speakers to play your favorite tunes and it keeps track of water usage. $5,625 and up, available in the fourth quarter.
Jhaan Elker The Washington Post
Somnox, a robot you can cuddle with
Somnox is a bed companion that simulates human breathing. When you hug the robot, the rising and falling sensation subconsciously calms you down and helps you get to sleep faster, say its makers. Somnox also can make the soothing sounds of heartbeats, lullabies and guided meditation, which you activate from an app. $600, shipping in September.
Modius, a headband to help you lose weight
Pack on a few pounds during this cold snap? Modius has built a headset that stimulates your vestibular nerve, which runs behind your ear and into your brain. You use Modius by attaching a pad to your skin, which has a wire that runs up to the headband. The electric current, Modius says, stimulates the part of the brain that controls your appetite. It’s meant to be an extra boost to supplement your weight-loss
Provided by Modius plan. But brain-zapping technology is still somewhat unproven, $500, expected in February.
Provided by Foldimate
Foldimate and Laundroid, robots that fold your laundry
These competing robots tackle one of the week’s most arduous chores. Foldimate’s promises to fold a load of laundry in four minutes, but asks you to feed each piece in, individually. The much pricier Laundroid folds from a drawer of clothes, but takes much longer. Sadly, neither can tackle socks or sheets yet. $16,000 for Laundroid, $980 for Foldimate.
Kingston Nucleum, a 7-in-1 hub for MacBooks
OK, this one is just wildly practical. Remember when the MacBook Pro was useful for actual professionals? That was before Apple took away useful inputs and replaced them with USB Type-C ports requiring adapters and dongles. Plug a Nucleum hub into a MacBook and those useful ports return. You get back two traditional large USB ports, HDMI for an external monitor, an SD card slot, a microSD card slot — and still two USB Type-C ports. $80, shipping now from Kingston.com
Provided by Powercast
PowerSpot, a charging hub with no cords or mats
More gadgets? That means more charging cables. But Powercast’s PowerSpot hub promises to charge devices such as watches, headphones and keyboards within an 80-foot radius without any charging accessories. It does that by using technology that promises to be like Wi-Fi, but for electricity. $100, expected in the third quarter of this year.