“To boldly go where no man has gone before.”
On line for lunch my final day at CES, the fellow behind me asked what had impressed me most over the past several days. He is in the business of smart TV, he explained – he watches what we watch, and then sends us relevant advertising based upon viewer habits. “But, don’t tell anyone that,” he begged. “People like to think they still have privacy.”
The next morning, a friend asked me the same question. I replied along the lines of some of the thoughts I shared last week, and which I shared with my lunch-line colleague the day before: that the adoption of technology may depend in large measure upon the familiarity of design, e.g., if the devices look, feel, and operate with some form of familiarity. My friend replied, “Do you think that indicates timidity on the part of designers?”
These vests are built-to-order, and in addition to LED strobe lights can include cameras, Bluetooth communications, GPS, and temperature and other sensors. Accordingly, a firefighter’s vest could communicate location information to a central command in hazardous low-visibility situations; or, a miner’s vest could read air quality and transmit communications to a field office.
It was a great question that unraveled some of my assumptions, and I think that with a week of CES under my belt, I have a better answer: adoption may indeed depend in large measure upon the familiarity of design, but that should not, and does not, foreclose the success of bold and innovative designs. The first iPhone looked, felt and behaved like nothing else, and set a bar for other designers. At the same time, CES showcased numerous familiar and everyday devices that incorporate some level of connectivity, thereby elevating and improving their use.
Some statistics: smart watches are projected to generate $3.1 billion in revenue in 2015, and sell one million units; revenues from smart thermostats are projected to increase 51 percent this year to $282 million; automotive electronics are expected to create $14 billion in revenues.
This smart ring displays email.
To be sure, CES featured a lot of old-fashioned “consumer electronics,” from HDTV’s to gaming to bread machine-type beer-makers (add barley malt, hops, water and yeast) and even toothbrushes. But, the brushes that got attention were those that were connected to an app that was designed to improve the user’s brushing. The Grush tracks the user’s movements and turns brushing into a game. Operating on both Android and iOS, the brush tracks movements and eliminates monsters in a “virtual mouth.” Better brushing means fewer monsters. Logbar’s Ring is an eponymous device that acts as a remote control for connected devices. As a piece of jewelry, it is kind of bulky, but as cloud-control device it goes boldly where no Clapper has gone before by enabling far more functions than a simple on/off.
Other devices were equally fascinating, and as useful, and, yet . . . One device measures vertical jump, and can be used as a training aid for basketball and volleyball players. But, unlike some of the other sports equipment that uploads and then analyzes data, this device leaves the heavy lifting to the user. In that regard, it is a handy electronic tape measure, and the manufacturer noted that it is useful in prevent ACL injury. But, I had been spoiled by all the other things I saw, and my first question was, “Is it connected?”
Not everything needs connectivity. Or, more accurately, we don’t need connectivity for everything. But, what CES revealed this year is that developers are finding more ways to make everyday tasks and functions smarter, more efficient and more useful. And that might be this year’s lasting impression from CES.
i1 Biometrics Vector Mouthguard monitors player head impact data. The sensors gather measure skull movement and can calculate acceleration and deceleration experienced by the brain. Data is transmitted to and stored in the cloud for private access by the player or team’s coaching and medical staff.
The data demands of the individual various devices may be not high – a concussion sensor built into a football helmet, or an impact sensor built into a mouth-guard, may require relatively little network capacity. Similarly, a water pressure sensor that monitors plumbing for leaks may consume little capacity, but the impact of a network or data hiccup at a critical moment could be disastrous. In those regards, the implications for redundancy, network reliability, security and capacity increase measurably as connectivity is implemented in medical, public safety, finance and other core industries.
Elvis hawks a secure smart watch that features a stand-alone phone.
And, this recognition should concern not only the metrics of engineering and design – it is an outlook that speaks to policy, as well. The matter of implementing cloud control and connectivity across the board of life is not a passing fad or luxury. It is becoming the norm, and those whose ability to obtain those functions risk being disadvantaged in numerous competitive marketplaces. These factors should encourage and energize policies that assure reliable and scalable advanced networks throughout the Nation.
This watch by First Alert features fitness tracking and emergency contact calling. The brilliance of the design is that it looks like a watch, rather than a, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” pendant. For every senior citizen who might reject a necklace that announces such concerns, this watch may provide some peace of mind while acknowledging the potential emotional or psychological impact of wearing a device that is associated predominantly with aging.
These fashionable frocks were printed on a 3D printer (and yes, they are of polymers).
 “One word: plastics.” Except for the heads and strings and some mechanical components, these instruments were crafted on a 3D printer. |
 It is not officially CES until you have seen a robot or a Star Wars reference. This falls under the “two dactillions with one slugthrower” banner. |
 In a natural fit, Timex hits the smart watch market. |
 In a less expected move, Kodak sells headphones. |
 I had the same reaction. The USPS explains that is promoting its shipping services. For electronic devices. In an email to media, the USPS also boasted that Time magazine had included its booth in its list of the 20 Most Eye-Catching Booths at CES (see http://time.com/3657884/best-booths-ces-2015/). |
|
