TECH BREAK:11 life-changing gadgets of 2019

Robelf, a robot by Hancom is displayed at the Hancom booth at CES 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 8, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. PHOTO| AFP

What you need to know:

  • Somnox Sleep Robot is a soft-robotic that enhances the quality of sleep and uses breathing regulation and audio to help one fall asleep faster.
  • Gaze Tray is the world’s first desktop storage tray that wirelessly charges all your Apple devices at once.
  • LG Signature OLED TV R has a 65-inch roll-up screen that retracts into a base unit at the tap of a button and can withstand being rolled up for at least 50,000 cycles.

The Consumer Electronics Show(CES) is where companies big and small come to launch gadgets and test new ideas; Some practical, some downright weird, but not all of them make it to stores.

CES 2019, the tech industry’s biggest annual conference is taking place in Las Vegas, United States. Thousands of revolutionary tech products are set to be announced in this year’s show that began on Tuesday, January 8 and will close on Saturday, January 12.

Here are just but a few of the product featured in the exhibition:

1. Ovis suitcase – It comes with three cameras: one on its front another inside of a groove on its back and a third in its handle and a bracelet that gently vibrates and lights up when you move two meters away from the suitcase.

It also has a built-in GPS and 3G cellular technology which allows you to track its real-time location. Keeping an eye on your luggage just got easier!

2. Harley Davidson LiveWire – Harley-Davidson announced it has started taking pre-orders for the LiveWire and all-electronic motor cycles it first showed off in 2014. The bike was developed in collaboration with Panasonic Automotive and goes for a whooping price of Sh3million. For those who love the glory of instant torque this one is for you, that is if you can afford it.

3. LG Signature OLED TV R – This television has a 65-inch roll-up screen that retracts into a base unit at the tap of a button. The screen uses plastic and OLED tech, which in addition to having fantastic image quality is also capable of bending.

According LG, it can withstand being rolled up for at least 50,000 cycles. The company has been tease-bending their displays for years at CES, and now they have a product that is ready for the consumers.

4. Family Hub smart refrigerator – Samsung debuted its first Family Hub fridge in 2016 and it was able to keep track of groceries, let users buy items through its touchscreen display and help users keep tabs on their schedules.

This year, they have added more features to the refrigerator making the latest version a whole lot more intelligent than the previous models. It includes a redesigned screen experience able to understand user’s natural language.

Answers are powered by Bixby and the assistant will also let Family Hub users pre-set the oven, search for recipes and call an Uber through voice control. Bixby will also display relevant information on the Family Hub screen.


5. Willow: Wearable Breast Pump –This is a quiet and hands free breast pump that fits inside your bra. It debuted in 2017. The new and improved version is transparent with a clear flange. Pumping moms will be able to see how the pump aligns on their nipple and also can watch the milk flow.

ForwardX Robotics representative Zhaoqiang Chen demonstrates the Ovis, an autonomous suitcase at the ForwardX booth at CES 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 8, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. PHOTO| AFP

6. ‘Solar Cow’ battery charging station for schools –It’s built around a solar power charging station shaped like a cow and intentionally located at the village school.

When students arrive, they plug a milk-bottle shaped portable battery into the solar-station “cow.” It charges while they’re in classes and they take the “Power Milk” battery home when they leave for the day.

The Solar Cow project is a social engineering project that aims to help prevent the serious issue of child labour. It is joint project of Kenya and South Korea designed to keep children in developing nations in school rather than missing out on an education to work at home. It received the 2019 Innovation Award.

7. Somnox Sleep Robot - It's a soft-robotic that enhances the quality of sleep and uses breathing regulation and audio to help one fall asleep faster, get deeper sleep, and wake up at the optimal time through a smart alarm. It mirrors your breathing for a better night's sleep.

8. Air 100 selfie drone – For those who love to take selfies Air 100 selfie drone is a revolutionary pocket-size flying camera that connects with your smartphone to let you take boundless HD photos of you and your friends from the sky. It features a 12MP camera and HD video and will be going for Sh10,000.

The LG Signature OLED TV R, the world's first rollable TV, is displayed at the LG booth during CES 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 9, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. PHOTO| AFP

9. Gaze Tray - It is the world’s first desktop storage tray that wirelessly charges all your Apple devices at once. One will stay powered up and connected with simultaneous charging of up to 5 separate devices.

10. The automated dog toilet: Inubox – Dog lovers now have a reason to smile as the Inubox puts an end to cleaning up after your pet’s poop.

All your pet has to do is step in, and sensors detect when it’s done its business. A shelf closes up and cleans itself, pushing the waste into a sand basket and into seal bags for you to dispose of properly.

What’s more, it dispenses a treat for your pet too!

11. FoldiMate – Last year, the company promised to make folding clothes a thing of the past. At the time, all they had was a non-working prototype. This year, they returned for the third time with a fully working prototype.

The company says that you can fold an entire load of laundry in about five minutes, which includes collared shirts, pants, and medium-sized towels. They are yet to announce when it will be in the market and how much it will cost.