Future Tech Trends | Solutions
This concept takes drones close to their final destination and then lets the flyers complete the rest of the journey
VR has not quite taken off yet
jointly developed by the BBC and Japan ’ s NHK . The Beeb is already running iPlayer tests with the system that avoids metadata entirely , instead relying on a dynamic scene-by-scene delivery on a take-it-or-leave-it basis , depending on whether the TV is HLG-ready or not . The beauty of HLG is that it ’ s backward compatible , but as yet only Samsung has confirmed that its 2016 HDR TVs will be firmware upgradable .
Not Real Yet …
Lots of VR at CES , but it ’ s clear that manufacturers are struggling to get mainstream consumers on board . This will no-doubt be helped by Daydream VR ( Google ) coming as standard on the new Google Pixel series phones and while I love the concept , my Daydream glasses got used for an hour and are now gathering dust somewhere under the kids ’ homework .
Super Model TVs
And they ’ re getting thinner . LG ’ s Wallpaper ( W7 ) OLED TV is just 2.57mm thick , sticks magnetically to a wall bracket and connects to its soundbar through a thin umbilical . Samsung ’ s Quantum Dot LED ( QLED ) TVs combine more luminous new aluminium alloy-coated dots with lighting from multiple directions ( not just backlit ) to improve brightness and colour consistency at all viewing angles . An ‘ invisible ’ fibre cable connects the display to an HDMI hub . But Sony had the most innovative audio design idea : actuators behind its A1 OLED screen generate the highs and mids while the bass is handled by a subwoofer in the kickstand .
Attack Of The Drones
CES was stacked with new drones including high-end consumer drones , racing drones ,
light winged planes , 360 ° drones and my favourite , Selfie Drones . Most eye-catching of these was the Hover Camera Passport , a fold-up design with 4K video capability and a 13MP camera . It has a selection of AI modes including follow , 360-Spin and Orbit and can also be flown manually via on-screen joysticks in its mobile App .
AI Automotive
There was plenty of AI and self-drive technology from all the leading auto manufacturers , accompanied by more than a smattering of Alexa , but special mention must go to the weird-looking Mercedes ‘ Vision ’ van , an all-electric delivery vehicle with fully automated cargo space , which when in range of the destination , loads packages onto to drones sitting on its roof for the final stage of the journey . The Matternet M2 drone can travel 12 miles on a single charge .
Harder Cyber Bouncers
With the explosion of IoT in the marketplace and the hunger in the hacking community to use these new toys for bad gains , it was no surprise that Cyber Security was big news at CES show . BitDefender , Symantec , Intel / ARRIS had new routers designed to protect home networks against cyber threats .
So yes every CES brings progressively higher resolutions , ever more discreet displays and a new burst of IoT functionality . But what ’ s clearer to me this year is the direction of travel for home automation . The growing emergence of voice and proximity control at CES 17 is the nudge that CI needs to welcome wider automation possibilities . And while the threats to cyber security multiply , so to do the counter measures . As long as we keep our eyes , ears and other sensors fully employed , the Internet of Things can only get better .
An AI equipped selfie drone , anyone ?
8 | March 2017 10th-11th May 2017 , Sandown Park , Surrey . Sponsored by