CES 2020 opened with innovations that could change the world

 

CES 2020 opened on 7 January unveiling the next generation of innovation that is expected to redefine industries, create jobs and solve many of society’s challenges. With more than 4400 exhibiting companies, including 1200 start-ups, CES 2020 featured the latest transformative technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, vehicle technology, digital health and more.

“The innovation on display this week at CES embodies the drive and passion that fuels our industry and furthers economic growth on a global scale,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “The entire tech ecosystem is here at CES 2020, and the products and technologies launching this week will inspire, connect and change lives for the better.”

While the CES exhibit show floor opened on 7 January, the full week of innovation kicked off on 5 Januray with Media Days, CTA’s 2020 Tech Trends to Watch presentation, CES Unveiled Las Vegas, conference programming at the ARIA and preshow keynotes from Samsung and Daimler.

Samsung Consumer Electronics president and CEO H.S. Kim delivered the first CES 2020 keynote. Kim focused on the “Age of Experience,” a decade of human-centric innovation that combines hardware and software to create personalised experiences to make life more convenient, enjoyable and meaningful. Highlighting the company’s latest advances in intelligent robotics, AI, 5G and edge computing, Samsung offered a snapshot of the future in which these technologies will come together to offer richer, more adaptive experiences for consumers. “In the Age of Experience, we need to re-think the space we have to accommodate our diverse and evolving lifestyles,” said Kim.

Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz, delivered a keynote address on the evening of 6 January, where he shared the company’s plans for a sustainable autonomous future. “When you come to CES you ask yourself 'What's Next' and that question is what we have been asking ourselves for 130 years,” said Källenius. He was joined on stage by director James Cameron to unveil Mercedes Benz’s latest concept car, the Vision AVTR, a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Cameron's film franchise. The car has no doors and 33 movable, multidirectional "bionic flaps" that are meant to look like scales on a reptile. The Vision AVTR detects your pulse and can sense your breathing. Mercedes designed the concept car to merge the passenger and automobile into a "symbiotic organism."

CTA’s Steve Koenig and Lesley Rohrbaugh presented 2020 Tech Trends to Watch on Sunday and gave an exclusive preview of the January U.S. Consumer Technology Sales & Forecasts. Skyrocketing popularity of streaming services along with 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled devices will drive revenue growth for the U.S. consumer tech industry to a record $422 billion in retail revenues in 2020 – nearly 4% growth over last year.

Sunday evening featured one of the largest CES Unveiled events in show history, with more than 220 exhibiting companies, including 98 start-ups from Eureka Park, the start-up hub at CES 2020. More than 1900 media gathered at CES Unveiled for a sneak preview of the innovation debuting this week at the show, including the Source Hydropanel, which can extract water from air and electricity; a smart bathmat that tracks weight, BMI and posture; a service robot for those with disabilities; AR/VR software that shows before and after workout results and a smart thermometer that measures and adjusts oven temperature.

CES Media Days featured two days of preshow press events from CES exhibitors, including major brands and emerging startups. Twenty-nine companies announced products, including:

AMD – The Ryzen 4000 Series mobile processor, the world's first 7nm laptop processor.

Bosch – Vivascope, a smart device that creates digital microscopic images of cells and analyses them using AI.

BrainCo – Showcased the final model of its AI-powered prosthetic hand, which works with an amputee's brain waves and muscle signals.

Brunswick Corporation – Debuted the SLX-R 400e, a 22-passenger yacht-certified watercraft capable of speeds of 65 mph.

BYTON – Announced its first wave of content partnerships, including ViacomCBS, to be featured on its 48-inch digital dashboard screen in the M-Byte SUV.

Continental Automotive – Natural 3D Centerstack display, offering drivers a 3D experience without the need for special glasses.

HDMI – Ultra High Speed HDMI certification programme that assures support for all HDMI 2.1 features, including 8K.

Hisense – The dual-cell XD9G LCD TV layers two liquid crystal modules one on top of the other inside a single cabinet.

Hyundai – Showcased a model of the S-A1, an electrically powered “personal air vehicle” capable of carrying up to four passengers.

Impossible Foods – Introduced two new plant-based meat substitutes, Impossible Pork and Impossible Sausage.

Intel Corporation – Announced Tiger Lake, the latest chip in the Intel Core mobile processor family.

LG – OLED (LG Signature OLED 8K) and LCD (LG 8K NanoCell) TV models delivering a ‘REAL 8K’ UHD viewing experience.

Living in Digital Times – Announced several lifestyle products including the mamaRoo sleep bassinet and NEUTROGENA’s Skin360 app.

Monster – MultiLink Bluetooth technology, enabling multiple Bluetooth devices to play audio in sync.

Panasonic – Flagship HZ2000 OLED TV with support for the UHD Alliance's Filmmaker Mode.

POW Audio – Biz is a pocketable magnetic speaker offering superior teleconferencing with a 360° mic, echo cancellation, and noise suppression.

Procter & Gamble – Charmin’s RollBot, a concept robot that brings you toilet paper and Oral-B’s new connected electric toothbrush, the iO.

Qualcomm – Debuted the Snapdragon Ride autonomous-driving platform.

Royole Corporation – Unveiled its Mirage Smart Speaker, an Amazon Alexa-enabled smart speaker featuring an 8" AMOLED flexible touch display.

Schneider Electronics – Launched Square D Connected Home suite for North America.

Sony – Unveiled the Vision S electric concept car featuring 33 different sensors and a newly-designed EV platform.

Taiwan Excellence – Showcased multiple innovations from Taiwanese companies, including Noodoe's intuitive charging stations for electric cars.

TCL Corp – Vidrian mini-LED display technology offers increased brightness, sharper contrast, and long-life performance.

Toyota – Showcased Woven City, its “prototype city of the future” where it can test autonomous vehicles, innovative street design, smart home technology, robotics, and new mobility products.

UHD Alliance – Announced two additional television partners for its Filmmaker Mode initiative: Samsung and Phillips.

Valeo – Unveiled its autonomous, electric delivery droid prototype, Valeo eDeliver4U.

ZF - Level 2+ semi-automated driving systems for passenger cars and Level 4 fully automated driving systems for commercial vehicles.

Part of the CMO Insights track, a conference session featured CMOs from leading businesses who talked about growth, disruption and the role marketing should play in business. Speakers included Jean Foster, SVP, marketing and communications, CTA; Jennifer Berman, CMO, Insider; Diana O’Brien, global CMO, Deloitte; and Deborah Wahl, General Motors global CMO, General Motors.

The show floor opening also marked the launch of the Global Tech Challenge, presented by CES and the World Bank Group. The Global Tech Challenge focuses on three areas: health, gender barriers and technologies that enable communities to be more resilient in the face of disasters and climate change.

Caption: Lesley Rohrbaugh, CTA’s director of research, presented tech trends to watch (photo: CES)

<< view all news