[Image above] A reporter from The Verge tries out the latest virtual reality offering from VR tech company Immersit at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. Credit: The Verge; YouTube
The weird, wonderful, high-tech electronics event of the year kicked off festivities in Las Vegas, Nev., yesterday.
The Consumer Electronics Show—a global consumer electronics and technology tradeshow held every January in Las Vegas—draws more than 3,200 exhibitors from around the world, including manufacturers, developers, and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, and delivery, to show off new gadgets the industry will release into the hands of eager techies throughout the coming year.
Although the show officially runs Jan. 6–9, CES opens the exhibit floor a couple of days early so press can get the first scoop on what’s in store.
From virtual reality to auto, to smarter tech across the board, media outlets on the scene are already reporting the trends this year’s event will reveal—and there seems to be five major consumer technology areas that will compete for the spotlight.
Smart home technology gets smarter. The demand for smarter and more efficient homes continues, from basic security monitoring to customized access to appliances, lighting, window coverings, and entertainment systems. CES 2016 will show off the latest smart home gadgets consumers can expect to see this year.
CNET reports that Samsung will debut its 4K televisions that can communicate with smart home systems, which will allow homeowners to control anything from the front door locks to the thermostat system right from the TV.
Credit: CNET; YouTube
Revamped virtual reality. CES attendees can discover where digital information and the real world connect to create a unique and all-inclusive experience at this year’s event. “Through specially designed hardware and software full of cameras, sensors, algorithms, and more, your perception of reality can be instantly altered in context with your environment: sports scores on TV during a match, path of trajectory overlaid on an image, gaming, construction plans, and more,” teases the CES website.
Interested in a more immersive video gaming experience, right in your own home? The Verge reports that virtual reality tech company Immersit is debuting a gadget you can put underneath a couch or chair to add another dimension to your virtual reality experience.
Credit: The Verge; YouTube
Robots take center stage. The robotics exhibition at CES will showcase the latest intelligent, autonomous machines that are changing the way we live. This year, expect to see robots that can connect to cloud storage and “are controllable by mobile device and capable of seeing, hearing, and reacting to the environment in ways once thought impossible,” says the CES website.
One such robot to debut at CES 2016 is Tipron, a rolling robot projector that pairs with an app so you can control the projector with your phone and is capable of moving around on its own, reports The Verge.
Credit: The Verge; YouTube
Advancements in automatic autos. “Vehicle intelligence explores the road to driverless mobility this year,” says the CES website. Attendees will see demos of a wide variety of technologies that support the future of automated driving, including features like parking assist, collision avoidance, and automatic emergency braking.
Visual computing technology company Nvidia debuts its “supercomputer” for self-driving and plans for the company’s place in transportation at CES this year, reports The Verge.
Credit: The Verge; YouTube
Wearables you’ll actually want to wear. From high-tech smart fashion to bracelets that track your mood to the newest augmented reality devices, wearables get more sophisticated this year. The latest technologies debut features like low energy Bluetooth, cloud computing, 3-D printing, and flexible membranes that will transform this market.
Wearable manufacturer Misfit showcases their latest activity tracker with a super-sleek design. The tech still tracks the important stuff, like your steps, distance walked/ran, and sleep patterns and reports everything to the Misfit app for measurement. And because this tracker doesn’t use display technology, the battery life is impressive.
Credit: The Verge; YouTube
And of course many of these technological advances couldn’t happen without smarter glass. Corning is also at CES 2016 to bring attendees the latest in interactive, touch-powered surfaces for automotive consoles, smart home connectivity hubs, and collaborative business solutions. Learn more at Corning’s website!