The 2 Coolest Inventions From the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show
Once again, the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is upon us, bringing thousands of tech workers, journalists, startup founders, bloggers and early adopters to Las Vegas to hawk and gawk at the most useful, wonderful and weird new gadgets. This year was as sci-fi cool as always, with translucent televisions, wall-crawling robots, artificial-intelligence-powered vehicles and more. We’ve chosen eight of the neatest and most functional-seeming of this year’s batch to share with you, from solar-powered EVs to
Walking assist robot
Walking is a valuable form of exercise, but for many people it’s a challenge, whether because of aging, illness or muscle weakness. That’s why South Korean robotics company WIRobotics created WIM, a robotic assist device you strap around your waist and legs. It reduces the energy needed to walk by about 20 percent, potentially allowing walkers to go farther and feel less tired. The A.I. technology analyzes gait and predicts your movements, becoming “smarter” over time and giving you feedback on your performance. Whereas other wearable robots are designed to meet industrial and medical needs, WIM was developed for the general public to use purely when walking for exercise, the company’s CEOs Younbaek Lee and Yongjae Kim explain in a press release. The entire device weighs 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) and folds up to the size of a clutch purse. WIM can also be used in an exercise mode, providing resistance similar to walking in water, and targeting specific muscles. The product will hit the market sometime this month.
Solar-powered tiny E.V.
On roads crowded with ever-bigger trucks and SUVs, Squad Mobility’s tiny solar-powered electric vehicle almost looks like a children’s toy. But the Solar City car is “surprisingly comfortable,” according to Engadget. In a sunny environment, the 6.6-foot-long car can go about 13 miles just on solar charge from its 250-watts-peak rooftop panel; it can also be plugged in like a regular E.V. With top speeds around 25 miles an hour, the car could be used to run errands or make a short commute, much like a golf cart in the city. The version at CES was a prototype; the company hopes to begin production next year and plans to market the car at $6,250.
Cool Stuff!