The high mass of tech closes its doors this Sunday after a finally serene first post-Covid edition. And like every year, some beautiful inventions came to surprise visitors and display the major trends for the coming year.
The CES in Las Vegas is resisting! Increasingly shunned by the big brands who now prefer to launch their own events, the world’s major Tech show has nevertheless regained its former glory… at least in part.
Because this 2023 edition was above all the first post-covid to be totally face-to-face. Last year, the Omicron wave triggered cascading withdrawals from major brands like Microsoft, Google and Lenovo. This time, everyone – or almost – was there and it’s now time to take stock of this 2023 vintage.
· A new auto show?
Now laden with a host of sensors, cars have had a place of choice for several years at CES. For this 2023 edition, most of the major manufacturers have therefore made the trip to present their electric vehicles or their connected vehicle projects.
Among the big announcements, the famous car co-manufactured by Honda and Sony, called Afeela. If the design of this sedan, announced for 2025, does not clash, it promises technological equipment galore, starting with a PlayStation 5 console installed in its bowels. Above all, it will be equipped with a Lidar and 45 cameras to allow level 3 autonomous driving. as Mercedes does today on certain stretches of roads and under certain conditions in Germany.
Another nice surprise, BMW presented a technology to automatically change the color of its bodywork. A total of 32 different colors are possible for his vehicle.
Among the other CES announcements, we find the very futuristic concept car from Peugeot, called Inception, but also a prototype of future electric pick-ups from RAM, the Stellantis brand.
Ever thinner screens…
This is the big trend that has marked the show, which is always important for the television sector. In addition to technologies that are ever finer, stunning in terms of images and contrast – and ever more expensive -, manufacturers are now seeking to get rid of the cables that pollute the landscape of the living room. LG has thus presented a large 4k screen completely devoid of any connectors on its back. The trick is the presence of a remote box on which you plug your internet box or console and which sends the information wirelessly to the TV. There remains the power cable which cannot disappear and is hidden in the foot of the television.
Displace, an American startup, however caused a sensation by offering an impressive model totally on batteries! The screen can thus be transported (although it weighs 12 kg) and hold, in theory, a month at the rate of 6 hours of walking per day, before having to recharge the 4 batteries.
…and always more flexible
On more modest screens (smartphones or tablets), the CES also displays color: if the foldable screen is no longer a novelty, Samsung presented a screen that could stretch, a way of enlarging the screen a little. screen before retracting and then folding it. The technology is still at the prototype stage.
Pervasive Connected Health
Another major theme of the show remains connected health. And it was a French company, Withings, which made the event with a sensor to analyze its urine U-Scan. Placed in the bowl, it is thus able to provide a wealth of information on its health.
Another French startup, BHeart, offers a bracelet to turn all watches into health trackers. Big advantage: it produces 100% of its autonomy using body heat or ambient light.
For its part, the South Korean 10Minds has unveiled the new version of the anti-snoring pillow Motion Pillow. It works by detecting disturbing noises and uses inflatable cushions that reposition the sleeper’s head to the side in order to clear their airways and put an end to their snoring.
More ambitious, the startup I-Virtual, based in Metz, has developed Caducy, a technology called “photoplethysmography” which allows, using a simple 30-second selfie video, to measure vital parameters remotely. The operation is very simple: thanks to this short sequence, Caducy can calculate six vital parameters including heart rate, respiratory rate or blood pressure. The objective of this tool is to improve prevention and diagnosis and ensure better follow-up at home for patients with chronic diseases.
Always more accessibility
It was a little surprise from Sony. The brand presented at CES Leonardo, its PlayStation 5 controller for people with disabilities. “Leonardo project for PlayStation 5” was developed with experts in disability issues, but also players concerned, associations and game developers, explains Sony who has not yet communicated a release date or price.
Still in accessibility, Tech&Co was able to test two smart wheelchairs. One of them, Scewo, had the particular advantage of being able to climb sidewalks, while Whill is an autonomous chair that makes trips on its own while avoiding obstacles.
