From fairly commonplace objects like lawn mowers to fantastical concept cars that learn from their drivers, virtually every innovation showcased at CES 2023 was infused with AI. While some products have taken the form of “robots”, others are harnessing AI capabilities invisibly to make everyday products smarter and more useful.
As AMD CEO Lisa Su said in her keynote, “AI is truly the most important megatrend for the future of technology.”
Here’s a look at some of the best and most eye-catching AI-powered products from CES:
The Peugeot Inception concept car
Screenshot by Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
Progress in autonomous driving has so far not been as rapid as some had previously imagined. However, cars are gradually getting smarter, and autonomy seems to be on the horizon.
A concrete example: Peugeot unveiled the Inception Concept car, an electric vehicle demonstrating what a car can be, once you get rid of the steering wheel, get comfortable and let the vehicle get to know you.
The Inception Concept can wake up when you approach the car, recognize you, greet you, then automatically adjust the car to your preferred driving settings. Instead of a cabin, which traditionally accommodates a driver and a passenger, this vehicle has a “living room” where passengers can all relax. The car features an upgraded version of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, which shows how a person could control a vehicle without a steering wheel.
To find out more about the Peugeot Inception Concept.
Parky, the autonomous electric vehicle charging robot
THOSE
While self-driving cars are still in development, other market-ready self-driving mobility tools were showcased at CES.
The Evar company presents Parky, an autonomous EV (Electric Vehicle) charging robot that transports a charging station to any parking space. It is designed, for example, for those who want to make their parking spaces more EV-friendly without adding electrical capacity.
To use Parky, a driver must find a spot next to an EV robot connector and plug into it. Then you can use NFC technology to call Parky, who will automatically find your car. The robot provides a direct current charge of 15 kW per hour, for a range of 80 km.
The Ella smart stroller
GlüxKind
Everyone wants the best for their baby. That’s what GlüxKind’s Ella promises, a “smart” carrier with AI-powered features to keep baby safe and parents happy.
Using computer vision, the Ella stroller can give parents “environmental hazard alerts” when there’s something nearby worth reporting.
Hands-free mode, still in beta, allows the stroller to move on its own, staying close to you and at your pace. It only works when the stroller is unoccupied. If the stroller strays too far, its intelligent braking system kicks in.
The Ella stroller also comes with all the features any stylish parent would want. It is equipped with a car seat, a baby bassinet and a child seat. It has an automatic Rock-My-Baby function and a built-in white noise machine. You can reserve a place to order a stroller from the GlüxKind Ella founder’s edition limited series.
The EcoFlow Blade robotic lawn mower
EcoFlow
Lawn care is another part of everyday life where AI comes in handy, and it was a hot topic at CES. EcoFlow introduced the EcoFlow Blade, which it claims is the “world’s first robotic lawnmower” capable of collecting fallen leaves. The robot uses smart in-app programs, GPS and LiDAR to perform automatic leaf collection and precise edge mowing.
U-Scan toilet bowl sensor
Withings
The CES also reflected a clear demand for health and wellness products that use AI to deliver personalized care and health data tracking.
The Withings U-Scan toilet bowl sensor attaches inside your toilet bowl. It includes a urine tracker for nutritional and metabolic analysis, checks pH, ketones, vitamin C levels, and more. A second tracker monitors women’s luteinizing hormone for ovulation cycles. Each promises early detection of potential health issues.
The U-Scan claims it can even tell the difference between your urine and that of any guest, based on various factors like distance and flow velocity. The accompanying app lets you check health stats right from your smartphone, without having to fiddle with the toilet bowl sensor.
Citizen CZ smartwatch
Citizen
Citizen’s latest CZ Smartwatch uses AI and NASA research to measure your fatigue and alertness. The watch and accompanying app collect and analyze sleep-related data to accurately gauge a user’s chronotype (a person’s preferred sleep time and wake-up time).
The watch uses other data, like activity and heart rate, to advise users on specific ways to increase alertness. The more you use the watch, the more it will learn about you, and the more accurate the predictions and advice will become.
iVolve Pro Tennis Partner Robot
AI doesn’t just help you track your fitness, it can help you improve it, while having fun. The iVolve Pro robot was honored in the Fitness & Sports category at CES. The robot looks like a tennis ball machine but claims to be so much more.
The robot uses AI and computer vision to dynamically shoot the ball and move around the field, simulating the experience of playing against another person.