CES 2020 – Weirdest gadgets at Las Vegas tech show from hands-free breast pumps to a robot that delivers loo roll
CES 2020 is here, and with it comes a whole host of futuristic tech that could fill your home within the next decade.
From a loo roll delivering robot to an angry cat robot waiter and hands-free sex toys, the weird tech on show at this year’s event has not disappointed.
Toilet roll tech
Loo roll technology is probably the last thing CES attendees were expecting to see at the world’s biggest tech show but Charmin GoLab is showcasing a Bluetooth-enabled toilet paper delivery robot.
Whether the gadget is a joke or just a way to grab the attention of reporters remains to be seen but either way it’s attracted a lot of interest.
The Charmin RollBot can be controlled by an app on your smartphone and has been designed to deliver toilet paper to those in need via Bluetooth commands.
Unfortunately, Charmin has not yet invented a way for the loo roll to be replaced on the holder for you.
Smart diaper
Continuing on with the tech that assists bodily functions, South Korean company Monit has unveiled a wearable smart diaper.
A cookie-sized sensor with Bluetooth is intended to attach to the outside of the diaper and inform parents via their smartphone whether there is pee or poo inside.
This smart sensor is mutually beneficial for infants and parents as it could reduce instances of things like urinary tract infections.
Jurassic Park gyrosphere ‘transport pod’
Fans of Jurassic World may draw similarities between the glass ball transport pod in the film and one of Segway’s latest offerings.
The vehicle brand has unveiled a device called the S-pod, which can go up to 24mph and allows users to sit while they travel.
Segway has said the S-pod is partially based on the vehicles seen in Jurassic World and is perfect for “enclosed campuses such as airports, theme parks and malls.”
It works like a motorised wheelchair and allows users to adjust the speed with a control that can change the centre of gravity in the pod.
A loving robot
Robots get a bad rep sometimes but Japanese robotic startup Groove X has designed one that is supposed to provide you with nothing less than undying love.
Lovot has been designed to learn its owners face and warm up to them overtime.
It doesn’t shy away from a good hug and will happily approach strangers.
The cute robots have been on display before at CES but they’ve only recently gone on sale in their native Japan for around £2,295.
Angry cat robot waiter
BellaBot is a robot with the face of a cat has been designed to serve plates to restaurant customers.
When BellaBot reaches your table it will meow to signal that you should take your food.
You can even pet its robotic ears but not for too long or Bella gets angry.
Hands-free breast pump
Back in 2017, the Willow hands-free breast pump was one of the most talked about products at CES.
Now the Willow 2.0 has been unveiled and it’s said to be easier to use.
Hands-free sex toys
A year after being banned from CES for not fitting into a category, sex tech startup Lora DiCarlo is back and showcasing some of its latest inventions.
These include an air blowing gadget that simulates hands-free oral sex.
Virtual car visor
Bosch has announced the development of a revolutionary virtual visor that could stop drivers being blinded by the Sun.
It is said to block the Sun’s glare but not the road ahead so the safety and comfort of drivers is improved.
It works by replacing traditional car visors with a transparent LCD and intuitive camera.
Artificial intelligence within the visors allows it to determine where the Sun is hitting the drivers face so it can provide shade to these areas only.
What's coming up? The expert opinion
Here's what top analyst Paolo Pescatore, of PP Foresight, told The Sun...
- The show very much sets the tone for the year ahead. However, most of the new tech on show will struggle to be commercially viable, let alone make it into people’s homes.
- 8K TVs will grab all the headlines. Bigger and dazzling displays will steal the show. However, these will prove to be prohibitively expensive and out of reach price wise for many consumers. There is growing concern that the ecosystem is moving way too fast. Let’s not forget there is still a distinct lack of 4K programming with the majority of TV channels still in HD.
- Big sporting events like the Summer Olympics will be a great showcase for 8K as well as 5G. Therefore, expect growing focus on connected 5G professional 8K TV cameras as well.
- This will emerge as a key battleground for end to end providers like Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and others. Ownership of the entire ecosystem is still up for grabs!
- Expect all the leading consumer manufacturers to announce bigger and better TVs. Samsung will showcase its latest and greatest QLED displays while others continue to support OLED TVs.
- Watch out for TCL. Its mobile brand will take to the CES stage for the first time, standing alongside TCL’s television and audio divisions to showcase one united ecosystem as part of its vision for the year to come.
- AI and voice will be everywhere, more in TVs as a way of improving the viewing experience for customers. Users are becoming increasingly frustrated with changing inputs and changing settings to optimise the best picture and sound for their TVs. The integration of AI can help deliver the best experience and bring TVs to life.
- Amazon and Google will seek to own the show everywhere as well as Las Vegas. They have clearly emerged as the default voice assistants for TV manufacturers (and for other consumer electronic devices).
- Content will feature prominently given the looming streaming wars. Brands need to reach new audiences on as many screens as possible. It is clear that the tech industry is seeking to collaborate more closely with the content world to bring their products to life.
- The vision of content anywhere on connected screens everywhere is something that will come true. This is where a combination of voice, powered by AI and the cloud, delivered by 5G and fibre is happening right now. The need for tech giants to co-operate rather than compete will be notable at CES 2020.
- Immersive media is emerging more and more at CES. Tech companies are all seeking to leverage their computing capabilities to provide users with a more immersive experience; in particular taking sports fans closer to the action.
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In other news, Samsung recently unveiled a 292-inch 8K TV that you “never turn off”.
The tech giant is in competition with LG as both companies unveil smart fridges that ‘scan your food’ and suggest meals.
And, if you want more CES news then here’s a roundup of what we can expect from the event.
What do you think the weirdest gadget to come from CES is? Let us know in the comments…
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