For Part Two of our Consumer Electronics Show (CES) review, we shifted gears from our Part One topic of ‘For the Enrichment of Our Communities,’ to looking at stand out products that fall into the category of ‘For the Future of our Homes & Selves.’ As a reminder, CES is held in Las Vegas every January and showcases the latest and most cutting edge technologies throughout a plethora of industries, such as consumer electronics, vehicles, software and various services. This year’s selection of head-turners was hand picked by Tomorrow Lab’s Partner Theodore Ullrich who walked the entire show making sure to network and snap photos along the way!
Hardware Innovations for the Future of Our Homes and Lives
Ullrich, being a hardware inventor by trade, naturally gravitated towards consumer electronics and always seeks new ways that technology can better our lives on small and large scales. It came as no surprise that there were many household/solo use products on display. Looking through all of the products Ullrich was attracted to, a glimpse of what our future may look like in our homes and also our hands became clearer.
AR/VR Experiences with Kurimoto’s SoftMRF Haptic Glove
To kick things off the new Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR), Kurimoto’s SoftMRF Haptic Glove was quite the sight to behold, creating a brand new type of AR/VR experience! Haptic gloves are wearable devices that simulate the sense of touch by providing tactile feedback by the way of sensors that allow the user to experience the object as if the object was real. The passive type actuators in this glove use a unique fluid called SoftMRF® that responds to a magnetic field and can change its hardness freely, helping to create this new type of sensation. Kurimoto’s website explains, “The creation for such a “remote society” as a new normal is about to begin. Nowadays since it is becoming more difficult to meet people face to face, technology for the sense of sight and hearing is becoming more sophisticated, and expectations are rising for these three senses.” Will we all soon be having work meetings and social gatherings in this new AR/VR world? Only time will tell!
Innovative Products in Consumer Electronics
Moving towards tablets and phones, there were two companies and product series of note. Plaud.AI creates AI-powered bluetooth devices for recording, transcribing and summarizing conversations. Their tools are meant to enhance productivity and offer features such as speaker labeling, audio trimming, professional templates and one press recording. They currently offer The Plaud Note, a tablet and The Plaud Notepen, a wearable that can be a wrist band, clasped pin or draped around the neck.
Though launched in 2021, TCL’s NXTPAPER 5g phone is still standing out in the crowd. What sets this phone apart from others in the market is its innovative screen, built with multiple layers that deliver versatile eye protection and a “paper-like” touch screen feeling with “an anti-fingermark matte finish that captures the real joy of paper,” according to their website. Other features include significantly less blue light at the hardware level, anti-glare and optimized color temperature, all of which contribute to a less-strained eye viewing experience.
Product Design Process: Customizable Keyboards and Projector Solutions
To help outfit our work stations, why not get a customizable keyboard? EPOMAKER does just that, offering very high quality mechanical keyboards for gamers and professionals that incorporate user feedback into their designs. While prospective buyers can browse through charming designs like the Dareu A84 Pro and the CIDOO V75 Pro , they also offer DIY Kits, key caps, switches, upgraded cables and other accessories.
This cute lil’ projector from Hisense is already sold out on their website – well then it must be good! The Hisense C2 Ultra Trichroma Laser Mini Projector features IMAX enhanced visuals, powerful Dolby sound and JBL speakers and subwoofer, packing quite the punch in such a small size! Easy to move around your house whether living room, kitchen or even outdoors and with 65”-300” size display capacity – this could be the future of entertainment viewing!
Engineering Design for Future Consumer Products
Last, but certainly not least, Ullrich wanted to make sure to check out new components and technologies that are related to what Tomorrow Lab does on the daily. LiBEST’s advanced flexible lithium-ion batteries are tailored for wearables and metaverse devices, like AR/VR headsets. Their innovative designs, including multi-structured batteries that combine flexible, curved and rigid components enhance device comfort and energy efficiency. Notably, LiBEST’s thin and lightweight batteries are integrated into products like AR glasses and head-mounted displays, offering capacities of up to 1,500mAh while maintaining sleek designs. PowerFoyle creates “The Solar Cell for Consumer Electronics,” that converts both indoor and outdoor light into energy, enabling seamless integration into consumer electronics for continuous charging without the need for cords or disposable batteries. It’s flexible design (shown in the image placed in the arc position over the headset, almost like a sticker) allows it to mimic various materials, making it suitable for products like headphones, remote controls and e-readers. By harnessing ambient light, PowerFoyle extends device battery life and reduces electronic waste, by contributing to a more sustainable future.
Innovative Product Invention for a Sustainable Future
If e-waste interests you, and you want to learn more about how we can dispose of items in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way – check out our blog post about just that!
There was so much to see at CES this year, we are excited to see what new technologies are developed in 2025 and debut at the 2026 event!
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