CES 2018 opened its doors unveiling the next-generation of technology designed to improve our lives and address global challenges across a record-breaking show floor that spans more than 2.75 million net square feet of exhibit space and features more than 3,900 exhibitors, including some 900 startups. More than 20,000 products will launch at CES 2018 this week. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association, CES 2018 runs through Friday, January 12, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The future of innovation is on display this week at CES, with technology that will empower consumers and change our world for the better,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “Every major industry is represented here at CES 2018, with global brands and a record-number of startups unveiling products that will revolutionize how we live, work and play. From the latest in self-driving vehicles, smart cities, AI, sports tech, robotics, health and fitness tech and more, the innovation at CES 2018 will further global business and spur new jobs and new markets around the world.”
Intel’s CEO, Brian Krzanich, took the stage Monday evening for the preshow CES keynote to celebrate innovation and explore what’s next for big data. “[Data is the] unseen driving force behind the next great wave of tech innovation,” he said. Intel will bring VR content to the upcoming Winter Olympics through its immersive media plan and True View platform, delivering the largest ever VR experience across 30 sports programs. Former NFL star Tony Romo joined the stage to further highlight how VR will transform the consumer experience for live sports, offering the potential to view from virtually any angle through 360-degree cameras, incredible data storage and super computing power. During his presentation, Krzanich also noted the recent opening of Intel Studios, a new workplace in Los Angeles, California to film, gave a live demo of an Intel-powered autonomous “human drone” Volocopter and set a Guiness World Record with its Shooting Star Mini Drone show – the most advanced software fleet of 100 drones controlled without GPS by one pilot.
The day prior, CTA’s Steve Koenig and Lesley Rohrbaugh presented Tech Trends to Watch at CES 2018. They identified expected major CES trends such as ingredient technologies like AI and 5G that will permeate the product announcements, as well as native interfaces, smart cities, and digital therapeutics. They also announced the 2018 tech industry revenue at $351 billion dollars – a 3.9 percent increase over 2017.
Tuesday evening featured the largest CES Unveiled in history. The official media event of CES 2018 spotlighted a record 204 exhibiting companies, including 72 startups from Eureka Park, the most startups ever showcased at CES Unveiled. Featuring the latest in AI, smart home, virtual reality, emotion sensing robots, Alexa-enabled mirrors, smart headphones, smart lighting and more, CES Unveiled provided more than 1,900 media with a sneak peak of the innovation launching this week at the show.
CES Media Days featured two days of product announcements from companies both large and small. Kicking off a week filled with innovation, 29 companies hosted preshow press conferences, with product announcements including:
- Bosch – “Simply. Connected.” portfolio, which highlights the use of smart city technology to revolutionize urban mobility, air quality, energy efficiency and security
- BrainCo – First affordable, non-intrusive, AI powered prosthetic hand
- Byton – Electric, self-driving, connected concept car expected to launch in late 2019
- Continental – Unveiled its long-term goal for seamless mobility and vision zero, Continental’s goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities on roads
- Dynamic – Announced the world’s first network-certified smart credit card technology
- Faurecia – Voice-activated cockpit of the future with Amazon Alexa
- HDMI – HDMI 2.1 Specification – the most recent update of HDMI standards and specification, supporting a higher range of A/V resolutions and bandwidth speeds
- Hisense – H10E 4K Smart ULED™ TV, and H9E Plus 4K Smart ULED™ TV
- Hyundai – New, technological flagship fuel cell electric vehicle called Nexo with advanced driver assist capabilities
- Interaxon – Partnering with Safilo to combine fashionable eyewear with Muse’s brain-sensing technology
- Kia – Niro EV Concept, a fully electric compact SUV which can run 238 miles on a single charge with a 30 minute fast charge
- LG –Showcased its product integration of LG ThinQ AI – artificial intelligence products that can learn from consumers
- MobileHelp – Emergency response system for the Samsung Gear S3
- Monster – Monster Talk voice-activation technology, to be included in the Superstar Bluetooth speakers, Elements headphones and Clarity Bluetooth headphones
- Neutrogena – NeutrogenaSkin360 attaches to smartphone and uses sensors to create a personalized skincare plan
- Nucalm – Patented relaxation technology, which combines a topical cream, microcurrent stimulation via the NuCalm visor, and the NuCalm neuroacoustic software
- Panasonic – First 4K OLEDs with HDR10+ format
- Philips – Philips SmartSleep headband designed to create better quality of sleep with personalized tones and volumes
- Project Nursery – Alexa-based baby monitoring system
- Qualcomm – Processor for extensive use across 5G connectivity, automotive, and smart home tech, including low power Bluetooth audio devices and VR headsets
- Ripple –App to improve professional networking that uses Ripple’s “face connect” technology, allowing users to take a picture of someone and instantly add them to a connection list
- Royole – Showcased the future of flexible technologies and the human-machine interface
- Samsung – Unveiled the IoT ecosystem “SmartThings,” the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen and the Samsung Flip
- Showstoppers Launch.it – Winner of its startup pitching contest was Velco with their “Wink Bar,” the first connected handlebar for bikes with smartphone compatibility
- Sony – Showcased its A8F OLED TV
- TCL – TCL Roku Smart Soundbar integrated with the Roku Entertainment Assistant
- Toyota – Announced their new self-driving mobile marketplace, e-Palette
- Valeo – Low-voltage (48V) all-electric vehicle prototype motorization system, which is 20 percent more economical than existing high-voltage solutions
- ZF – ZF ProAI, new super computer with modular and scalable architecture
