Each year, the latest technology in 33 categories goes on show in Las Vegas at CES, the Consumer Technology Association’s exhibition. More than 4500 companies from 150 countries turn up to this global stage showing the items consumers will be buying very soon.
We’ve filtered out a few developments from this year’s massive gallery that seem custom-made for apartment dwellers.
Lounge Room
Do we like the big black television screen when it’s not in use? It does tend to dominate the room. What if it were a plain box that just blended in with the furniture?
Rollable televisions, with screens so thin they just roll down into a rectangular box and disappear without a trace, are apparently the future. Switch on and the screen rises out of the box. The televisions debuted at CES last year, but the LG Signature OLED TV R shown this year is said to advance the technology a lot further.
Voice control, Google Assistant and Alexa and more are built in and the TVs have several modes. They are expected to go on sale in the US later this year. Samsung and Sony worked on the principle that big is never big enough with their releases and unveiled 200-inch television walls.
Kitchen
Countertop ovens are having a moment. Suvie, from a new start-up, keeps the food cold until it is time to begin cooking and then automatically cooks a three-course meal to perfection.
Whirlpool’s countertop oven detects the type of food you have put in and cooks it to its optimum taste and texture. You can even get a live view of the meal cooking from a phone or tablet.
Yummly, which provides two million recipes for KitchenAid’s new Smart Display tablet, is also partnering with companies like Whirlpool and LG to provide users with recipes made from ingredients already in their fridge.
Ready for a beverage? US company, PicoBrew launched a small, professional-grade brewing appliance. This smart little box can brew craft beer, and cold-brew coffee and kombucha.
Bedroom
Sleep is a tough call for a lot of people who are living busy lives and there were several aids on show at CES this year.
The Dreamlight Pro (as seen above) attacks wakefulness in three ways and requires users have a DNA test for it to be fully effective. Speakers embedded in a padded mask deliver a surround-sound effect, promoting the feeling that users are in a relaxing, natural environment. Vocal hypnosis therapy provides guided relaxation, and light therapy calms users into meditation.
Vital signs and sleep are tracked to build up a sleep profile that is displayed in the cross-platform app. This, and information from the DNA test, is used to customise a sleep schedule transferred to users via the mask.
Bathroom
Several Bluetooth-enabled bathroom mirrors were shown which could access Google Voice assistant, plan your commute, check the weather and much more. Some even varied the amount of light when make-up was being applied, and turned on the shower or ran a bath for you. Now, that’s lazy.
And awesome.
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