From wearables to robots, TVs, electric vehicles, and more, we saw some pretty incredible things at CES this year. We’ve rounded up some of the best products and concepts that debuted at CES this week, in case you missed any of the virtual action. “The pandemic forced us to take a step back from a traditional CES, throw out the playbook and transform how we’d bring the tech community together,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO at the Consumer Technology Association, in a press release. “CES looks different this year, but the foundation of the show—innovation, connection, collaboration—remains strong and consistent.”
Samsung Robots
Of course, Samsung started strong on Monday and released three new robots designed to make our lives at home easier. “Our world looks different, and many of you have been faced with a new reality—one where, among other things, your home has taken on a greater significance,” head of Samsung Research, Sebastian Seung, said during Monday’s press conference at CES. “Our innovations are designed to provide more personal and more intuitive experiences that express your personality.” The JetBot 90 AI+ is a handy robot vacuum that uses lidar and artificial intelligence to navigate your home. It can automatically empty its dustbin while also keeping an eye on your pets when you’re not home. Samsung’s Bot Handy robot is a butler of sorts that can put away your dirty dishes, pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes, and weights, and bonus—can even pour you a glass of wine, all while using advanced AI. And finally, the company’s third robot, called Bot Care, acts as a personal assistant that grows accustomed to your behavior over time. In Samsung’s example of potential uses, the Bot Care can remind you to take a break from work and stretch, or remind you of upcoming meetings you have on your schedule.
LG Gallery Series OLED TVs
LG’s OLED technology is showcased in its new TVs at CES that offer more brightness and more contrast. The LG Gallery Series (G-Series) OLED TVs provide a more slim aesthetic meant to fit right in with your home decor. The G-Series includes LG’s new A9 Gen4 AI processor (LG’s most powerful chip), resulting in better image quality, scene detection, and gaming performance. The series also boasts 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, AMD Freesync, and Nvidia G-sync support, perfect for gaming. And, as an honorable mention, we’re super intrigued by the concept TV LG debuted at CES: the LG Transparent OLED Smart Bed. The 55-inch TV sits at the foot of your bed and can be hidden into the bed itself when not in use. The prototype’s screen is 40% translucent, so you can watch TV but still see through it so as not to create a closed-in viewing experience.
Razer Project Hazel Mask
Face masks have become a necessity in our daily lives, but many companies at CES took on the challenge to make masks do more than just protect us from germs. Razer went so far as to incorporate its gaming technology into a mask that it claims will better defend against outside contaminations. The Project Hazel smart mask is only a concept, but it includes a built-in microphone and amplifier, so you don’t sound muffled while wearing it. It’s also transparent, so others can still see your facial expressions, and includes interior lights that automatically turn on in the dark. Those interior lights also allow you to customize your mask with 16.8 million colors and a suite of dynamic lighting effects. And, of course, it provides excellent protection. Razer claims it has N95 medical-grade respirator protection and “Smart Pods” that regulate airflow for better breathability while filtering at least 95% of airborne particles.
Gardyn’s Indoor Garden
The first-ever fully automated indoor vertical produce growing system debuted at CES 2021. Gardyn uses a new kind of tech called hybriponic technology (a fully vertical technology), as well as AI, to provide access to fresh produce in our homes. Gardyn founder and CEO FX Rouxel said that its AI program (referred to as Kirby) is one of the key components of the product. “The AI in the back end is really critical because for the first time ever, we have a system to monitor the garden very precisely and optimize the growth of the plants,” he told Lifewire in a phone interview. The garden also uses various sensors to look at humidity and light, as well as two cameras embedded in the vertical garden to take a picture of your plants every 30 minutes to make sure they are on track. The system can grow up to 30 plants simultaneously using integrated LED lighting and a six-gallon water reservoir that is fully autonomous for weeks without adding any water. And, since its exterior design was created by a furniture designer, you know it’s going to fit seamlessly into your home. Rouxel said that he wanted to build an experience, more than anything, while also helping to solve the issue of access to healthy foods. “It’s not about gardening…We are not in the gardening business, we are in the business of providing people with amazing food at home in the most convenient way possible,” he said.
Feelmore Labs’ Cove
Wearables were big at CES this year, thanks to the upward trend of more people wanting to take control of their health and health data in light of the pandemic. One of these wellness wearables promises to be the “future of self-care.” Created by Feelmore Labs, Cove aims to decrease stress and anxiety (something many of us have been experiencing within the last year.) The device works by applying gentle vibrations behind the ears, enabling the natural biological path between the skin and brain to activate the part of the brain that regulates anxiety, leading to a profound sense of calm. The device works in 20-minute sessions, and the company promises that by the end of each session, you’ll feel less stress and even improve your sleep that night. The best part is, you don’t have to stop what you are doing to use it like other stress-reducing activities, such as meditation. You can simply continue whatever you’re doing, and the device works at eliminating your stress.
Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Rouge Sur Mesure Powered by Perso
For those who have trouble figuring out their perfect lipstick shade, YSL has come to save the day. The company debuted a Bluetooth-enabled, app-powered lipstick that can mix your ideal red/brown/pink shade to your liking. You can select your perfect color using the color wheel on the app, matching a color from a photo, or you can take a selfie, and the app will analyze your outfit to pick a color to match. While the product is still in beta, it’s a great idea for those who carry far too many lipsticks in their bag at once, or those who are indecisive.
Asus Pro Duo Laptops
Asus’ Zenbook Pro Duo dual-screen laptops took the spotlight during day three of CES. The new laptops take the 2019 models and make them even better by shifting the keyboard closer for that second screen display. The Pro Duo 15 is the better model of the line, since it offers an OLED main display, a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, up to 32GB of memory, and Nvidia’s new RTX 3070 mobile graphics card for better gaming and productivity. Want more? See all our coverage of CES 2021 right here.