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Smart face masks, robots and recycling: latest tech trends on show at CES 2021

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Maskfone CES

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) may have taken place virtually for the first time, but there were still plenty of high-tech gadgets and innovations on show.

We round up some of the latest potential technology trends following CES 2021, which this year took place as a virtual event instead of the usual Las Vegas expo thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. And coronavirus was the inspiration behind many of the innovations on show this year, from smart face masks to disinfection robots.

Other trends getting the high-tech treatment included green initiatives and even beauty.

COVID inspires tech trends

Wearing face masks has become the norm, but now one company has come up with a smart version, which uses Bluetooth to allow wearers to make calls, play music and even talk to Alexa. The creators of MASKFONE say that is was designed to reduce the need for removing your face mask in order to make phone calls.

The pandemic has also meant that we are more aware than ever of the need to clean and disinfect spaces. The new Grenlite ultraviolet light treatment system will help to disinfect personal vehicles, keeping both drivers and passengers safe. This is able to sense when surfaces or controls inside the car have been touched and will then dose the area with UVC light.

Meanwhile, Kohler showcased a new range of kitchen and bathroom products at CES 2021, including touchless bathroom taps and even a touchless toilet.

The robots are coming

Robots are here to lend a helping hand with the fight against COVID-19 too. For instance, there are robots designed to disinfect rooms using UVC light.

There were also kitchen bots, and for those who have been left feeling isolated or lonely by the pandemic, there is the Moflin, an AI pet robot. Moflin is a small fluffy creature with a unique algorithm that means it is able to learn and to tell people apart depending on how they interact with it. It even makes cute noises inspired by real animal sounds.

Lockdown entertainment

During lockdown, board games have had a resurgence. The Infinity Game Table allows users to play board games digitally, on a large touchscreen table, playing each other online. Best of all, players can jump straight into their favourite game; there’s no need to set up counters, roll dice or shuffle cards.

Meanwhile, yoga fans will welcome the invention of YogiFi, a smart fitness mat that provides guided instructions and real-time corrections on their form. It can also be used for other workouts such as pilates or Zumba.

Personalisation

Personalisation is a key trend in the attractions industry. And we’ve seen a personalised room scent company included in the Comcast Lift Accelerator programme.

Blending your own custom scent is not exactly new, but Ninu Perfume‘s high tech approach brings beauty into the 21st Century.

The Ninu dispenser is operated using an app, in order to mix the right scent for any situation. The sleek container is rose gold and contains three scents. It uses AI to blend these scents into a new fragrance, taking into account factors such as temperature and season to suit your mood.

Yves Saint Lauren also debuted an app and device to blend your own lipstick colour.

A greener approach

Environmentally friendly tech was also on show at CES this year. For instance, the Lasso home recycling solution, which has built-in sensors, cameras and AI machine learning to detect, clean and sort materials.

Impossible Foods, the company behind the famous Impossible Burger, was also in attendance at the virtual event, showcasing its new innovation – plant-based ‘”pork”. This will feature in the Impossible Sausage, launching next week at selected Burger King locations in the US as an ingredient in its “Croissan’wich”.

Lockdown has also given many of us a new appreciation of nature. Our final innovation is the first-ever beehive designed for at-home beekeeping. B-BOX is a compact and safe solution which allows users to harvest honey without the need for full beekeeping attire.

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charlotte coates

Charlotte Coates

Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.

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