CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is a major annual trade show, organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). It is held each year in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year, over 4300 exhibitors and over 130,000 people are expected to attend.
CES showcases the latest innovations and technologies in consumer electronics. The show features a wide range of products and innovations from industries such as:
- Consumer electronics (smartphones, laptops, smartwatches)
- Smart home technology (home automation, appliances)
- Automotive technology (self-driving cars, in-car tech)
- Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics
- Health and fitness tech
- Entertainment and media technology
The event serves as a platform for companies to unveil new products, technologies, and services. It sets the stage for tech industry trends for the coming year. CES is not open to the general public, but industry professionals, media, and analysts from around the world attend to see the newest tech breakthroughs.
Here are some interesting smart home products being exhibited at this year’s show.
AiDot
As described on their website, “AiDot improves quality of life through technological development and delivers tomorrow’s smart home today. AiDot utilizes smart home technology to address the real needs of today’s busy world and deliver not only convenience but true peace of mind. This is achieved by combining decades of experience developing and manufacturing smart hardware, easy-to-use software, and lifestyle enhancements that we call lifeware.”
AiDot will be showing a number of products at CES. One product being shown is the Linkind ET8 Matter Smart TV Backlight. Features of this product include:
- Immersive Entertainment: The ET8 can be synchronized with music or video of movies and gaming. The ET8 offers 16 million colors, 11 music synch modes, and 64 lighting presets. It can also synchronize with other AiDot lighting products to expand the immersive environment to the entire room.
- HDMI 2.1: The ET8 supports HDMI 2.1, which includes the ability to watch 4K video at 120Hz.
- LumiSync: The ET8 includes LumiSync technology that delivers dynamic lighting that can keep up with fast-paced scenes and offers smooth, subtle adjustments during slower moments.
- Large TVs: The ET8 is designed to fit TVs up to 90 inches.
- Matter Smart Home Standard Compatibility: Seamless integration with Apple Home, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and other compatible platforms.
Additional products being shown by AiDot at CES include:
- Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL6: The SL6 offers dynamic multi-color lighting effects, 60-degree flood lighting, 36-degree spotlighting, and fourteen hours of illumination powered by a detachable solar panel.
- Linkind Smart Matter Light Bulb G30: The G30 offers simple integration with numerous smart home ecosystems through the support of the Matter smart home standard, simultaneous display of up to seven zones of color, and the ability to pair the bulb with AiDot’s TV Backlight so it can extend the immersive lighting effects of the TV backlight.
- Linkind Light Strip EL6 RGBTW: The EL6 includes 90 LEDs per meter with a 2,000-lumen peak output. The AiDot app can be used to customize brightness, choose from 66+ preset modes, synch the lighting with music, or sync the lighting with video when paired with AiDot’s TV backlight.
All products will be launched in 2025. Please stay tuned for exact dates.
AirDrop Gaming
AirDrop Gaming was founded in 2012 in Zeeland, Michigan. It specializes in the development of gaming accessories that improve gamer’s performance and play experience.
Tim Murphy, the founder of AirDrop Gaming, developed the idea for Audio Radar when he tried to play Call of Duty without sound. Audio Radar offers the following features for gamers who are hearing impaired:
- Visualize Sound: Audio Radar Converts 7.1 surround sound into visual cues with six RGBW LED light bars.
- Ambient Lighting and Stream Mode: In addition to visualization for in-game events, Audio Radar can also be used for ambient lighting to match gamers’ setups. With Stream Mode, it can offer the perfect lighting setup for streaming video.
- Partnership with Logitech G – Airdrop Gaming has developed a partnership with Logitech G to distribute the product. Logitech G is Logitech’s partnership program to help bring products that create a positive social impact to a wider audience.
Circular XYZ
Circular is a French health technology company. It was founded in 2019 and released its first generation smart ring in 2020 through Kickstarter and Indiegogo. I wrote a detailed review of the Circular Ring Slim that can be found here. At CES, Circular announced its next-generation ring, the Circular Ring 2.
Circular’s second-generation ring greatly enhances users’ ability to monitor their heart health. The breakthrough feature of Circular’s next-generation ring is its electrocardiogram (ECG) capability, which includes an FDA-cleared AFib detection algorithm.
In addition, Circular has solved a significant problem with smart rings, and sizing. Circular has introduced Digital Ring Sizing via a user’s smartphone to ensure a perfect fit when ordering a Circular smart ring.
Other features of the Circular Ring 2 include:
- Enhanced Sensors
- Superior Battery Life: A full 8 days of usage per charge.
- Enhanced Durability: Complete ring redesign and the use of titanium for enhanced durability
- New Wireless Charging Dock: The new dock simplifies charging of the Circular Ring 2.
- App Redesign: The Circular app has gone through a full redesign for an enhanced user experience and to reflect the ring’s luxury aesthetic.
The Circular Ring 2 will be launched through a crowdfunding campaign in January with availability in February or March.
Eureka
Eureka was founded in 1909 in Detroit, Michigan. The company’s vacuums have been in American homes for more than a century. Eureka’s goal is to provide high-quality products that simplify and improve people’s daily lives. They do this by making cleaning easier through innovation and consistent quality. Eureka aims to deliver affordable products that positively impact consumers’ lives.
Eureka has announced their new Eureka J15 Max Ultra robotic vacuum and mop. The Eureka J15 Max Ultra includes features unavailable on competing products from other manufacturers including:
- Transparent Liquid Detection: The Eureka J15 Max Ultra includes an infrared vision sensor and an FHD vision sensor. Images from these sensors are processed by AI algorithms that allow the robot to detect liquids, even transparent ones. When encountering a liquid on the floor, the robot automatically rotates its body, prioritizes mop cleaning, and lifts the roller brush to prevent liquid from entering the dustbin.
- Enhanced Edge Cleaning: When corners and edges are detected, the Eureka J15 Max Ultra can extend the reach of its mop and side brush to ensure thorough cleaning coverage in hard-to-reach spaces.
- Enhanced Obstacle Crossing: The Eureka J15 Max Ultra robot can navigate across standard thresholds up to 1.18 inches and handles complex double-layer thresholds up to 1.57 inches
- Improved Suction Power: The Eureka J15 Max Ultra delivers 22,000 Pa of suction power; a 35% increase over its predecessor.
- Anti-Tangle Design: The Eureka J15 Max Ultra includes a newly designed V-shaped side brush. The new side brush uses centrifugal force during rotation to actively untangle hair.
- Reduced Maintenance: The base station triggers the Eureka J15 Max Ultra’s FlexiRazor technology, which cuts through tangles to minimize maintenance.
- Pet Friendly: The Eureka J15 Max Ultra includes the ability to avoid pet waste and allow remote video interaction with pets (with user permission). This ensures a stress-free cleaning experience for both pets and owners.
The Eureka J15 Max Ultra is expected to be available in June 2025.
Halliday
Halliday is a global wearable technology startup at the forefront of smart eyewear. They were founded in 2021 by GYGES and Mody. GYGES is known for its expertise in micro-optical and AI technologies. Moody is a unicorn brand in fashion eyewear and contact lenses.
Halliday has announced the first AI glasses to feature a unique proactive AI agent and a completely unnoticeable, first-of-its-kind near-eye display that beams information directly within a user’s field of vision without a lens. This display discreetly delivers information and AI-enhanced insights directly to the user’s eyes in the form factor of an ordinary-looking pair of nostalgic, retro glasses.
Halliday’s DigiWindow display module was developed by Ph.D. engineers from Stanford with deep expertise in advanced optics. It is the world’s smallest and lightest near-eye display module, making invisible displays a reality. Installed on the upper-right part of the frame, the DigiWindow seamlessly projects information within the user’s natural field of vision, regardless of whether they have perfect eyesight or require vision correction. Perceived as a 3.5-inch screen in the upper-right corner of the user’s view, DigiWindow delivers essential information without obstructing the user’s main field of view or requiring a lens.
The glasses are primarily controlled through a trackpad ring, with additional interaction options available via voice commands and a built-in frame interface.
Other features of the Halliday glasses are:
- Proactive AI: Halliday’s AI agent actively listens, understands, and processes the ongoing context of conversations and tasks, enabling it to identify opportunities to intuitively add value. For example, during a meeting, it can proactively answer complex questions, summarize key discussion points, and generate summarized meeting notes afterward.
- Smart Phone Integration: Connected to smartphones via Bluetooth, the Halliday glasses include:
- Echo Mode: The proactive AI agent anticipates user needs and automatically provides suggestions and answers based on context, leading to more effective conversations and meetings.
- Audio Memo: Capture and summarize audio content from meetings or conversations allowing for efficient note-taking and recall.
- Notifications & Instant Replies: Discreetly check messages and respond with quick actions, all without anyone noticing.
- Cheat Sheet/Teleprompter: Halliday discreetly displays prompts allowing you to speak effortlessly without visible notes.
- AI Translation: Real-time translation in up to 40 languages.
- Navigation: Access real-time navigation directly on your glasses, eliminating the need to check your phone for directions.
- Music & Lyrics: Enjoy your favorite songs with synchronized lyrics displayed in real-time.
- Quick Notes: Voice-to-text instant note-taking for your everyday ideas and inspirations.
- Light Weight: The Halliday glasses weigh 35 grams. This is almost half the weight of traditional smart glasses.
- Long Battery Life: The Halliday glass’s battery provides 8 hours of continuous use.
Halliday will be available for purchase after its debut at the CES conference, with prices starting at between $399 and $499. Shipping is expected to begin by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Lymow
Lymow is a global provider of innovative, reliable, multifunctional, and intelligent yard-caring products and solutions. They were founded in 2022 by a team with a foundation in scientific research within the robotics industry. The team has complete product lifecycle experience from R&D through manufacturing.
At CES, Lymow is showing their advanced mower for larger lawns, the Lymow One. Lymow One has completed a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over 3.5 million dollars from over 1600 backers.
Most robotic mowers are designed for smaller yards. The Lymow One is designed to fully replace a traditional mower; saving homeowners time and money when compared to mowing their lawns themselves or hiring a lawn service. The Lymow One can cover 0.23 acres/hour, 0.57 acres/charge, and 1.73 acres/day.
Features of the Lymow One include:
- Powerful Blades: Unlike other robotic mowers, the Lymow One features professional-grade mulching blades typically found on traditional lawnmowers. The blades are driven by a brushless motor with a peak output of 1200W at 6000 RPM. The Lymow One’s dual-blade front deck offers an effective cutting width of 16 inches.
- High-Speed Fan Discharge: A high-speed fan ensures clippings are finely chopped and evenly distributed, nourishing the lawn without clogging.
- Versatile, Terrain-Adaptive Floating Deck: The front deck of the Lymow One offers an adjustable cutting height from 1.2 to 4 inches.
- Intelligent Navigation: Lymow One’s navigation system combines Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) satellite positioning and Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) technologies. This eliminates the need for boundary wires and allows for map editing of multiple zones and no-go areas.
- Obstacle Avoidance: The stereo camera combines image-based semantic recognition with depth-sensing. This enables the Lymow One to have a comprehensive understanding of its surroundings. The Lymow One can identify and avoid animals and hazards including sprinklers and pet waste. Additionally, the mower is equipped with five ultrasonic sensors, a front bumper sensor, and an off-ground sensor in the blade deck. These sensors provide extra safeguards when encountering physical obstacles.
- Selectable Patterns: The Lymow One mows in perfectly aligned stripes, not random paths. Users can adjust the overlap between parallel stripes and set the stripe angle to create checkerboard or diamond grid patterns.
- Durable Design: The Lymow One has a one-piece die-cast aluminum alloy frame and uses a LiFePO4 battery that delivers over double the charge cycles of standard lithium-ion batteries. The Lymow One is designed to withstand all weather conditions because of its upgraded IPX6 waterproof rating.
The Lymow One is now in production and slated for delivery in April 2025.
Segway
Segway was founded in 1999 and delivered their self-balancing, two-wheeled, personal transporters in 2002. The company has come a long way since then and now manufactures a wide range of electric scooters, electric go-karts, eMopeds, off-road ATVs, transportation and service robots, portable power stations, and more; including, since 2021, robotic mowers.
Segway has announced its new flagship robotic mower, the Navimow X3 Series. The Navimow X3 Series features a larger cutting width and accelerated mowing speed for faster, more precise maintenance of lawns up to 2.5 acres.
The X3 Series navigation is powered by Segway Navimow’s self-developed EFLS 3.0 navigation technology with enhanced RTK coverage, vSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), and VIO (Visual Inertial Odometry) technologies. This allows the X3 Series to navigate in challenging signal environments, and complex landscapes, such as tree-covered areas, front and backyards, and narrow pathways.
Other Features of the X3 Series include:
- Efficient Route Planning and Obstacle Avoidance: The X3 Series uses a 300-degree wide-angle camera and AI-enhanced algorithm for route planning and obstacle avoidance.
- 2-in-1 Mower and Trimmer Solution: The X3 Series includes an expansion bay that can be used to attach an optional string trimmer to the side of the mower. This allows the X3 to trim lawn edges.
- 27° Climbing Capability: The X3 Series can handle slopes up to 27°.
- Anti-Theft Design: The X3 Series includes an alarm, app-based GPS location tracking, and an AirTag compartment for added security.
- Animal Protection: The X3 features an AI algorithm to ensure that pets and wildlife stay safe while the mower is running.
- Real-Time Insights: The X3 Series includes an integrated screen that provides users with immediate status updates and provides information on the mower’s performance.
- Smart Home Integration: The X3 seamlessly integrates with smart home systems including Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
The X3 Series mowers will become available for consumers in spring 2025. I was a beta tester for the X3 Series mower this past fall. I will be releasing a full article on the product as we get closer to its release.
Shelly
Shelly Group SE delivers high-quality IoT products to over 100 markets. Shelly USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Shelly Group SE, provides affordable and innovative smart home solutions in the U.S. Their product range includes smart relays, energy meters, lighting controls, and sensors. All of these devices are designed to create energy-efficient, intelligent homes. Shelly devices are compatible with major smart home platforms including Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, and others.
At CES, Shelly is showing their new lineup of Shelly Wave devices that support Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) communications technology. This includes:
- Shelly Wave Plug US
- Shelly Wave Door/Window
- Shelly Wave H&T
- Shelly Wave Motion
- Shelly Wave Dimmer
- Shelly Wave Pro Dimmer 1 PM
- Shelly Wave Pro Dimmer 2 PM
- Shelly Wave 1
- Shelly Wave 1 PM
- Shelly Wave 2 PM
- Shelly Wave Shutter
The advantages of ZWLR technology are:
- Extended range and coverage: ZWLR enables Shelly Wave devices to communicate over distances exceeding 1 mile (line of sight) at full power.
- Scalable Networks: ZWLR supports up to 4,000 devices on a single network.
- Security and Compatibility: Advanced encryption and backward compatibility with existing Z-Wave devices and networks.
The new Shelly Wave devices are expected to be available in the first half of 2025.
Shelly is also unveiling the Gen4 series of their popular products including new relay switches, sensors, and plug-and-play modules. Initially Gen4 series product will include the Shelly Plug US Gen4, Shelly Flood Sensor Gen4, Shelly PM (power monitoring) Gen4 Relays, and the Shelly 1 PM Mini Gen4.
This new series of products features:
- Multi-protocol support: Protocols include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Matter.
- Switchable protocols: Users can switch between protocols so the new Gen 4 series products can integrate with a wide range of platforms.
- Wide range of integrations: Gen 4 products are compatible with Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and many additional platforms.
The new Shelly Gen4 devices are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2025.
Also new at CES is the Shelly Wall Display X2. It is a 6.95” touchscreen control center that allows users to easily manage lighting, fixtures, and other smart home experiences. Features of the Wall Display X2 include:
- Integrated Sensors: There are integrated temperature, humidity, and light sensors.
- Control: There is a built-in relay with power monitoring capability.
The new Shelly Wall Display X2 is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2025.
SwitchBot
SwitchBot, an award-winning company, has been in business since 2016 with a focus on products that make the existing items in your home smart. SwitchBot has announced a number of new products at CES.
The SwitchBot Multitasking Household Robot K20+ Pro is the world’s first multi-tasking household robot. This multitasking household robot combines floor cleaning, home security, air purification, smart delivery, and the potential for DIY enhancement in a single platform.
The system consists of a mobile platform that can physically connect with the mini robot vacuum for mobility and delivery of items up to 17.5 pounds, within a home. Different SwitchBot devices can be linked to the mobile platform via integration kits including:
- K20+ Patrol Kit: Links the SwithBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 2K or 3K to offer real-time security monitoring
- K20+ Air Purifier Kit: Links the SwitchBot Air Purifier to create a mobile purification system that can move throughout a home to attack air pollutants wherever they are being created.
- K20+ Pro Combo: Combines the cleaning capabilities of the robotic mini vacuum with the stick vacuum featured in the K10+ Pro Combo.
- K20+ Pro Air Flow Kit: Links the SwitchBot Circulator Fan to offer ventilation wherever needed.
- And more…
Also being announced at CES is the SwitchBot Floor Cleaning Robot S20 Pro. This robotic vacuum/mop builds on the capabilities of its predecessor, the SwitchBot S10. The S20 includes:
- 100% Coverage: Includes an extendable side brush that cleans into corners and an extendable roller mop that hugs wall edges.
- Hair Tangling Prevention: A dual anti-tangle design that includes a single-sided main roller brush and a two-stripe design side brush.
- Self-Cleaning Mop
- 15,000 Pa of Suction
- Matter Smart Home Standard Certified
Another new SwitchBot product being announced at CES is the SwitchBot Lock Ultra. It is a retrofit smart lock designed to fit 99.9% of existing locks including deadbolt, mortise, and Jimmy Proof locks. For rare cases where standard installation is not possible, 3D-printed custom solutions are also available. Additional features of the Lock Ultra are:
- 16 Unlocking Methods: The lock includes fingerprint recognition, smartphone app control, NFC cards, and voice commands via Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.
- No Lockout Risk: A triple-power system virtually eliminates the risk of being locked out due to the lock’s batteries being dead.
- 6 Layers of Security Protection: Security includes AES-128 encryption, tamper alerts, auto-lock functionality, and more.
- Matter Smart Home Standard Support: Matter support requires a Matter-enabled SwitchBot Hub.
Finally, SwitchBot has announced the SwitchBot Video Doorbell. It includes:
- Easy to See Display: 4.3-inch portable display that can be either placed on a table or wall mounted. It does need to be powered through an outlet.
- High-Resolution Camera: 2K ultra-HD resolution, color night vision, and a 165° wide-angle view
- Wi-Fi connectivity: Wi-Fi connectivity provides bandwidth for smooth video streaming
- Long Battery Life: 20-month battery life
- Local Storage: Optional 512GB of local storage without monthly fees
- Fast Installation: The doorbell can be installed in 3 minutes using either srews or adhesive. No wall modifications are required.
- Integration: Integrates with Amazon Alexa and SwitchBot lock products.
- 100db Chime
The above products are expected to be available for purchase around the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Withings
Withings is a French technology company specializing in the development and manufacturing of health technology products. It was founded in 2008 and has offices in France, the United States, and Hong Kong. Its product line includes smartwatches with health sensors, smart scales, blood pressure monitors, a sleep monitor, and even a non-contact thermometer. Additionally, Withings integrates the data collected by their products with medical professionals so physicians can better manage their patient’s health. I’ve written several articles on Withings products including the Withings ScanWatch and the Withings Body Cardio Smart Scale.
OMNIA is a new product from Withings that is currently under development. OMNIA features a sleek, mirrored interface equipped with voice commands, a 3D body model, and a connected base that houses advanced health sensors. OMNIA conducts daily in-depth health scans by seamlessly integrating data from Withings’ ecosystem of connected devices. Withings devices that can be integrated with OMNIA include their smartwatches, scales, blood pressure monitors, sleep trackers, and more. Data from all these devices can be integrated with weight, heart health, and metabolic health scans from the OMNIA base.
OMNIA then leverages AI to aggregate, analyze, and interpret key indicators such as heart health, nutrition trends, body composition, lung function, activity tracking, and sleep quality.
Features of OMNIA include:
- 360-Degree Health Screening: Daily scans delivering insights into heart, lungs, weight, sleep, activity, and nutrition.
- Immersive Mirror Interface: The mirror interface provides a visual gateway to the user’s health metrics along with actionable insights.
- AI Vocal Companion: An empathetic voice assistant that offers real-time feedback, answers to questions, motivation, and guidance.
- Integrated Telemedicine: Effortlessly connect with healthcare professionals for virtual consultations and asynchronous assessments.
- Comprehensive Health Metrics:
- Heart Health: ECG (including AFib detection), overnight heart rate, irregular rhythm notifications, resting heart rate, vascular age, and blood pressure
- Metabolic Body Composition: Muscle-to-fat ratio, water mass, bone mass, visceral fat, and weight trends.
- Activity Tracking: Steps, calories burned, VO2 max, elevations, workout, recovery heart rate and body temperature variations.
- Nutrition: pH, ketone trends, specific gravity and vitamin C analysis.
- Sleep Quality: Apnea detection (only available in Europe), interruptions, sleep stages, and recovery.
Also being shown at CES is the BPM Vision, an advanced blood pressure (BP) monitor designed to increase the reliability, comfort, and efficacy of ongoing BP readings. It makes blood pressure monitoring accessible and easy for everyone; particularly non-tech-savvy elderly users. BPM Vision’s goals are to:
- Ensure accurate BP readings are consistently and reliably taken
- Promote adherence to blood pressure and hypertension management
BPM Vision also offers Cardio Check-Up, a service that connects users with expert cardiologists for professional assessment of ECG measurements.
Features of BPM Vision include:
- Clinical Reliability: Enables reliable monitoring of systolic and diastolic blood pressure to aid in the detection and control of hypertension.
- Crystal-Clear Insights: Includes a large, high-resolution display so results will be easy to read. Color-coded feedback, on both readings and whether a measurement has been taken correctly, will also be displayed.
- Educational Tutorials: On-screen tutorials guide users through correct measurement procedures.
- Interchangeable Cuffs: Includes multiple cuffs so the BPM vision will fit every adult arm type.
- Smart Connectivity: Wi-Fi-enabled data synchronization and a six-month battery life.
- Multi-User Capability: Tracks data for up to eight users.
- Encouraging Compliance: The screen can be programmed with motivational messages, reminders to take or log medication, or questions to prompt users to log symptoms (these features won’t be available at launch).
YoLink
YoLink is a smart home product line offered by YoSmart, an Irvine, CA company founded in 2014 by three experienced engineers with the goal of “making home life simple for everyone.” Its products utilize LoRa communications technology.
LoRa communicates at 915MHz in the United States and offers long-range communications of up to a quarter mile. In addition, LoRa signals are capable of penetrating glass, metal, and concrete. Finally, LoRa requires very little power, giving battery-powered devices an expected battery life of between two and 10 years.
The first YoLink products were released in 2019. Today YoSmart offers more than 60 different products and a wide selection of starter kits that group different products together at additional savings for consumers.
The YoLink LeakStop 1 is designed to detect leaks and automatically stop running water in home, office, or apartment toilets and sinks. It also monitors water usage and prevents water waste by stopping unnecessary water flow when excess usage is detected.
Other features of the LeakStop 1 include:
- Leak Detection and Auto-Shutoff: The built-in valve will shut based on water detected by the LeakStop 1’s sensor, daily limits for water usage, and exceeding a flush count limit.
- Long-Range LoRa wireless technology: Up to one quarter mile range allows for usage in a home and in outbuildings surrounding a home.
- Detailed water usage reporting: YoLink app provides charts showing hourly, daily, and monthly water usage.
- Alert Customization: Options include continuous alerts, adjustable sound alarms, SMS, email and smart phone push notifications.
- Quick and easy installation: Designed to be easily installed by homeowners
- Long Battery Life: Expected battery life of up to 5 years
- Smart Home Integration: Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and Home Assistant
The YoLink LeakStop 1 is available for purchase today on the YoLink website and through Amazon.
