By Sara Ruberg and Steve Patterson – NBC News
More than 4,000 companies have flocked to Las Vegas this week to showcase some of the futuristic products they hope will be used in everyday life.
Exhibitors at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) have showcased products ranging from AI-powered attendees to wearable robots, among others. While many of the devices are not yet available to the general public, it is possible that some of them will hit the market later in the year.
CES, one of the world's largest tech conferences, is an annual platform for businesses hoping to build buzz around their latest gadgets. The types of technology present at the show are wide-ranging, but generative AI, which became popular after OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, has played a major role in many of this year's exhibits.
Several of the products presented at CES were aimed at solving health and sustainability issues. Nuvilab's AI nutritional scanner is a device that aims to do both. The scanner, which looks like a small tablet screen and camera, uses AI image processing to assess how much food is consumed and wasted in restaurants and commercial kitchens. It can also show the nutritional content of a dish, such as caloric intake.
[New York tests police robot to tackle crime]
Although the product is intended for any commercial kitchen to curb food waste, the nutritional content scanner was created for places that focus on serving healthy meals, such as long-term care facilities, schools, and hospitals.
Physical therapy and fitness technology also debuted at CES. WIRobotics and Innophys introduced their wearable robotic suits. WIRobotics showed off a robot that hugs around the user's waist and legs to help those who find it increasingly difficult to walk, run or exercise. The Innophys "wearable exoskeleton" muscle suit attaches to the wearer's back to relieve stress from strenuous activities.
PalmPlug is another piece of technology that aims to change the future of physiotherapy, but especially cured for stroke victims. Its sensor technology is integrated into a small glove that wraps around the wrist and fingers. A screen detects the hand and indicates movements through games and piano lessons, making physiotherapy more entertaining.
"This technology can be applied to gaming, health, sports, augmented reality and virtual reality, but we started with healthcare," explains Olaoluwa Adesanya, founder and CEO of PalmPlug. "So, really, we start with what's broken."
Augmental's MouthPad^ took home the "Best Presentation" award at CES 2024. MouthPad^ is a retainer-like device that allows users with physical disabilities to control touch screens with their tongue.
[Robot Created with Artificial Intelligence Functions to Help Care for the Elderly]
It wouldn't be a technological convention without a few flashy inventions that look more like sci-fi props than real-world inventions.
The Holoconnects Holobox is a device that can project a full-body 3D holographic image of a person from anywhere in the world. While traditional consumers may not find it useful, companies can use it for speeches and conferences. The United Nations has even used it to take colleagues to meetings at U.N. headquarters, Holoconnects staff members said.
CES was also packed with gadgets designed for fun and comfort.
South Korean robotics giant Doosan, in collaboration with Microsoft, served AI-infused cocktails to attendees. The company's robot bartender uses AI to analyze each person's facial expression and create a cocktail based on the customer's mood.
In another exhibition, fresh ice cream was prepared using the ColdSnap machine. It acts like a "Keurig for ice cream" and can create creamy ice cream in two minutes from any home kitchen.
Handwrytten recovers the cards and cards of yesteryear. Its robotic hand can replicate human handwriting using AI, allowing users to compose a message for their handwritten notes.