T
TECHfocus
By Paul Welty
For people like me, technology is a way of life. New tools and gadgets get my heart racing, and I’ll happily admit
to being an early adopter. But as both a consumer and a professional, I’m careful to not buy into technology simply
for the sake of technology. Technology is a tool to enhance the human experience for the future. That means I’m
always on the lookout for products and services that impact productivity, lifestyle, happiness, convenience, and
health—those that have the potential to move our lives in a new direction.
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COWAROBOT Suitcase
Available now
$699 USD Hover Camera
Available now
$599 USD Olly the Robot
Release date late 2017
Price TBA
Wish traveling was easier? The
COWAROBOT suitcase is guaranteed
to bring out the lazy traveler in all
of us. Armed with a 3G SIM card,
this “autonomous smart suitcase”
will follow you dutifully around the
airport—no pulling required. Two
built-in detection and avoidance
systems help it glide alongside you
while steering clear of anything that
gets in the way. You can stop worrying
about lost luggage and get more out of
traveling with a free hand. Ever thought that you should really
be followed around by a film crew?
Or that the arm on the edge of your
selfies gives the game away? Enter
the Hover Camera: A toss into the
air activates the device and starts
your modeling session. Described as
“your foldable, self-flying personal
photographer,” this tiny drone uses
face detection to fly in close to the
user. It can snap 13Mpx photo, 4k
videos and 30 frames per second—
and works with Android and iPhones. Move over Alexa—Olly is the new robot
in town. With four CES awards, he’s
definitely the one to watch this year.
This AI-powered personal assistant
can respond to your questions and
control your smart devices, just as
a home hub does. And since he was
designed by a group of neuroscience
and machine learning experts, he
brings so much more. The robot’s
personality evolves based your own
interaction patterns, making each one
completely unique to you—a shiny new
best friend.
Smartmat
Release date TBA
Starting at $297 USD Perseus Smart Mirror
Now accepting pre-orders for Fall 2017
Starting at $249 USD Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed
Available now
Starting at $3,499 USD
If you’ve ever gone to a yoga class, you
may have found that a packed room
full of bendy people can get in the way
of personal coaching. Who would tell
you if you’re doing it all wrong? The
Smartmat is an intelligent yoga mat
that uses smart sensor technology to
let you know when you’re not aligned
or balanced properly. You can even use
the data to track your improvement
over time via your smartphone. If you
want to get ditch the yoga teacher
altogether, Smartmat has classes
available for download. Mirror, mirror, on the wall—who’s the
smartest of them all? Perseus smart
mirror, of course! Whether you’re
brushing your teeth in the morning or
dolling up for an evening out, there’s
no need to waste those minutes.
Perseus smart mirrors display
information from your smartphone.
The voice-controlled system updates
you on your commute, checks the
weather and even shows makeup
tutorials. You can customise this
mirror with apps and widgets, ensuring
that it “reflects” your personality. Another winner at CES 2017, the
Sleep Number 360 smart bed is a
bed like you’ve never imagined. The
surface senses your movements and
automatically adjusts firmness and
comfort to make sure you’re supported
just right. A prewarming feature heats
things up before you crawl under the
sheets to protect your chilly feet for a
great night’s sleep. Best of all, this bed
senses the moment your partner starts
snoring and gently raises that side of
the bed to keep your partner quiet as a
mouse. Where do we sign up?
DIGITECH Magazine
Summer 2017