The Exciting Technology Highlights Of CES 2022

CES 2022 will be an opportunity for technology fans and industry insiders to get a first glimpse of the latest innovations, gadgets, devices, and toys consumers will be lusting for over the next 12 months. Additionally, there will undoubtedly be many prototypes, concepts, and pilots on show that are highly unlikely to appear on the shelves in their current form, but exist purely to encourage us to buy into the ideas and aspirations of their creators.

After the all-digital event in 2021 that saw visitor numbers fall by around 50%, the plan for this year is to go for a hybrid event. The Consumer Technology Association, which hosts the event, will be hoping numbers will rise again this year, and given that attendees have the choice of visiting in-person or logging in remotely, it’s certainly possible. However, in light of Omicron, many people will still be hesitant of attending in person, and some exhibitors have said they are not yet ready to return to live events, so a smaller event than that seen in 2020 is still expected.

New additions

Alongside the ever-present televisions, cars, and gaming innovations, new additions to the show floor this year include space technology, food technology, and digital assets.

In space technology, there will be an opportunity to explore the collaborative work being carried out between Bosch and Nasa, to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in ways that will solve challenges of venturing beyond the final frontier.

Sierra Nevada Corporation, creator of the Large Inflatable Fabric Environment (LIFE) Habitat – an inflatable living space for astronauts - and the Dream Chaser spaceplane will also be among those exhibiting in this category.

Meanwhile, foodies can whet their appetite on new technology from Weight Watchers (now known simply as WW) designed to provide a personalized wellness experience through the power of AI, offering predictive insights into diet, exercise, and sleeping patterns. Other exhibitors in this category include Apex, which plans to revolutionize order pickup for restaurants and retail with its automated, contactless locker technology, and Swedish start-up Gastrofy, which offers personalized grocery shopping by subscription.

And the digital assets category will offer the chance to catch up on the latest developments around Collins Dictionary’s word of the year – NFTs – as well as other blockchain and cryptocurrency innovations.

Automotive technology

Over 185 automotive companies will be represented at CES 2022, with the opening keynote being delivered by Mary Barra, CEO of GM. This reflects the growing importance of the sector to CES in recent years.

Self-driving car technology will be on show from Waymo, Daimler, GM, and Hyundai – among many others. And there will also be a chance to get close to the world’s fastest autonomous racing cars, as the event will host a tournament as part of the Indy Autonomous Challenge, with a $1 million prize. And self-driving trucks and delivery vehicles will be on display from San Diego-based TuSimple.

Another attraction will be the eMobility Experience, where attendees can test out electric bikes and scooters from over 50 manufacturers on a 65,000 square foot test track featuring hills and ramps.

Healthcare technology

CES 2022 will feature the event’s first keynote from a healthcare company. President and CEO of Abbott, Robert Ford, will discuss how technology is revolutionizing healthcare and improving our chances of living long and healthy lives. Exhibitors focussing on health tech will include P&G, Dassault Systemes, Omron Healthcare, OrCam, Philips, and Variowell.

One to look out for is Sleep Number who will be showing off their innovative smart bed technology, which incorporates machine learning technology with 3D smart fabrics in pursuit of providing its users with the perfect, personalized night's sleep.

Revival Health will be in attendance, that relies on machine learning and internet of things (IoT) technology to power its virtual healthcare platform, and OMRON Healthcare will bring its connected blood pressure monitors and electrotherapy devices, designed to automate sharing of data between patients in their homes and healthcare professionals.

Innovation awards

Always a highlight of CES, the innovation awards will see companies compete for recognition in categories including computer hardware and components, cybersecurity and personal privacy, drones and unmanned systems, fitness and sports, home appliances, gaming, robotics, and smart cities. Nominations are now closed, but the event will give attendees the opportunity to get hands-on with new products and services that have come onto the market this year.

Honourees this year include the 4Sight M liDAR sensor for autonomous vehicles, Abbott’s I-Stat handheld concussion and brain injury scanner that can reduce the number of unnecessary CT scans carried out in emergency rooms by 40%, and the BinaxNOW Covid-19 self-test that can deliver results in under 15 minutes, also from Abbott.

Another very cool product recognized for its innovation this year is the 10Minds Motion Pillow 3, which detects the sound of snoring and deploys miniature automated inflatable airbags to reposition the user’s head in order to stop snoring without interrupting sleep!

CES 2022 runs from January 5 to January 8, online and in Las Vegas. You need to be in the consumer electronics industry to attend, but announcements from all of the exhibitors – over 1,000 of them – will quickly be picked up and reported on, with many of the leading technology news outlets offering rolling coverage. I will be covering all the highlights; join my newsletter to receive it straight to your inbox.