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Tech innovations that caught our eye at CES 2024
From electric cars to transparent TVs to the latest accessibility tech and virtual assistants backed by artificial intelligence, there was a wide range of innovations on display at the CES tech show in Las Vegas this week. The best of it aimed to solve big real-world problems. Some of it aimed to make your life more fun. And some of it was just a little out there.
Associated Press journalists spent last week combing cavernous exhibit halls for the most exciting, interesting and unusual tech innovations.
Here's what caught our eye at CES 2024.
ACCESSIBILITY PRODUCTS WERE BIG ON HOPE
At a conference where excess and opulence manifested itself in nearly everything, it was encouraging to see how much progress has been made toward developing assistive technologies for the disabled.
Boston-based GyroGear, a medical tech startup, debuted a hand-stabilizing glove at CES 2024 that it hopes will help Parkinson's patients and those with hand tremors regain control of their lives. Dutch startup Whispp is using audio-to-audio-based AI to give people with vocal impairments a chance to have real-time conversations in their own natural voices. OrCam introduced a host of devices designed to help those with hearing loss deal with auditory overload. And Sony reserved some prime space in its booth to showcase its Access controller for PlayStation.
MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NEARLY EVERYTHING
Using software and AI to achieve inter-device connections between smart devices, your home and even your car was central to many of the biggest tech companies at CES 2024.
Samsung's new "AI for all" mantra meant integrating its smart home devices and appliances to perform tasks in unison—like the act of recipe selection automatically pre-heating your oven. The South Korean tech giant also announced a collaboration with Hyundai to develop "home-to-car" and "car-to-home" services for all Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Google is expanding Chromecast to more apps and devices. And Amazon endorsed the Matter casting standard to create more inter-operability between smart devices.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a new AI-powered virtual assistant to personalize interactions between drivers and their cars.
VEHICLES ADVANCES WERE ON FULL DISPLAY
CES 2024 was brimming with new electric vehicles, remote construction vehicles, hydrogen engines and other mobility advances.
Honda premiered two concept cars, dubbed the "Saloon" and "Space-Hub," for a new global EV series. Kia decided to go modular with a trio of electric vans that can quickly swap body modules to change their functionality. And Vietnam-based electric upstart VinFast unveiled an electric truck concept.
Bosch Mobility and Hyundai both doubled down on hydrogen as an energy solution. And Hyundai showcased its AI-based autonomous construction excavator.
HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY
Chef-like robots, AI-powered appliances and other high-tech kitchen gadgets are holding out the promise that humans don't need to cook—or mix drinks—for themselves anymore.
GE wants you to start smoke food indoors, while generative AI is powering a Brisk smart grill that aims to make the art of barbecuing foolproof.
Freezing your own ice cream at home takes hours, but ColdSnap's new ice cream machine prepares your frozen treat in two minutes. And Bartesian's cocktail-mixing appliance can make as many as 60 different kinds of drinks for you.
Meanwhile, for much younger consumers (and their parents), Veba Baby's smart baby bottle monitor tracks the expiration of breast milk and formula. The product—which also serves as a bottle locator—monitors the temperature, when a baby feeds from the bottle, and more to detect freshness. And everything is logged onto an accompanying app.
WHAT'S NEW ON TV?
OLED, Micro LED, 8k ... what does it all mean? It means you see an extremely sharp image, but the most interesting TVs on display this CES were barely visible at all.
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The H-Medi wearable robotic system by Hurotics is seen on a mannequin during CES Unveiled before the start of the CES tech show Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. H-Medi is designed by Hurotics to help with medical rehabilitation. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
The MSI Claw portable gaming console is displayed during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
A DroneSoccer model is displayed during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
Los Angeles-based content creator McKenzi Brooke, left, stands next to a rendering of an AI twin at the Hollo AI booth at Pepcom ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Las Vegas. The company has created what is calls "AI personalization technology" that can create your digital twin in mere minutes after uploading a selfie and voice memos in a phone app expected to launch later this month. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
Martha Stewart, center, speaks at the Samsung booth during the CES tech show, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
A finished order of ice cream created by the ice cream robot by Sweet Robo is displayed during a demonstration at the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
The Goat GX automated lawn mower by Ecovacs Robotics is displayed during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
The H-Flex robotic system is displayed behind Junyoung Moon of Hurotics during CES Unveiled before the start of the CES tech show Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. The H-Flex robotic system is designed to help users with rehabilitation. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
People walk by the Las Vegas Convention Center during setup ahead of the CES tech show Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
An attendee receives a massage from the iYU AI-assisted massage robot, by Capsix Robotics during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
People walk by a CES sign during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
An exhibitor provides a demonstration of Baracoda's BMind smart mirror during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. The mirror is intended to help users with mental health and can be interacted with using voice commands, gestures, and "intent detection". Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
The Artly barista robot serves a drink during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
People crowd around an AI Fortune Teller at the SK booth during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
Buddy, the Emotional Robot, by Blue Frog Robotics, is seen on the show floor during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
People look at the Kia PV7 electric vehicle concept at the Kia booth during the CES tech show, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
People walk through the Las Vegas Convention Center during the CES tech show, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
A Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class car is on display at the Mercedes-Benz booth during the CES tech show, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
People walk by the Samsung booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/John Locher -
The Yo-Kai Express robot chef machine, made in partnership with Pulmone, is displayed during the CES tech show, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
Shinji Aoyama, director, executive vice president and representative officer, Honda Motor Co., speaks next to the newly unveiled concept cars, the Honda Zero Series "Saloon" and "Space-Hub" electric vehicles during a Honda news conference during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun -
Christopher Huang, BriskIt, speaks on the company's newly unveiled NeoSear smart grill, that utilizes AI to generate recipes and monitor cooking during the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP Photo/Ryan Sun
Consumer electronics giants LG and Samsung unveiled transparent TVs at the show.
Almost invisible when turned off, LG's 77-inch transparent OLED screen can switch between transparent mode and a more traditional black background for regular TV mode. Samsung's transparent MICRO LED-powered display worked in a very similar way, but was on display as a concept.
When not being watched as a traditional TV, both can be used as a digital canvas for showcasing artworks, for instance.
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