LAS VEGAS – Transparent television sets, a machine that whips up ice-cream from scratch in two minutes, and a little droid that wheels around to check on your pets and projects videos on the wall are among the latest inventions showcased at the world’s largest tech trade show.
More than 130,000 visitors from the tech sector are expected to descend on the Las Vegas Strip for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 from Jan 9 to 12, held across multiple convention halls.
The annual trade show is a platform for manufacturers and developers to showcase gadgets that buyers can get their hands on, as well as prototypes of the wackiest concepts that will make users feel like the future is here.
The media got an early look at the offerings at CES, including Ballie, Samsung’s artificial intelligence (AI) companion on wheels.
First teased to the world at CES 2020, the updated version of the bot, which looks like a droid out of Star Wars, will be a jack of all trades.
An early video of the robot showed it is able to remotely activate the lights or air-conditioning, check whether the plants have been watered, and send updates to its owners via text, along with video recordings of its activities.
Ballie is part of the South Korean tech giant’s vision to bring AI into all facets of daily life, as Samsung also announced updates to its household appliances, like washing machines that can identify the type of clothing and suggest the best settings.
Samsung is also extending its smart home features to Kia and Hyundai cars, which will soon allow drivers to control devices at home while on the road.
AI tech innovation is set to influence every industry, CES vice-president and acting show director John T. Kelley told The Straits Times.
Spending on AI-centric systems rose to more than US$150 billion (S$200 billion) in 2023, which was around 27 per cent over the previous year, he said.
“At CES 2024, we’ll see technology that integrates AI into the products and services we use every day, and powering the devices and systems we rely on,” Mr Kelley added.
The trade show, set to be the largest yet since the Covid-19 pandemic when it was converted to a hybrid event, is expected to draw some 130,000 attendees including investors, media and others in the tech field.
More than 4,000 exhibitors from the tech, electric vehicle and medical tech sectors and beyond have set up booths.
Besides AI, television tech will continue to turn heads at CES 2024, as Samsung and LG presented see-through TVs during the media preview at CES on Jan 8.
Hitting shelves some time in 2024, LG’s 77-inch Signature Oled T allows users to view content traditionally against a black background, which can then retract to unveil a transparent screen, turning videos into what appear to be holograms.
