Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the incomparable gathering of consumer electronics developers, distributors and enthusiasts, hit a milestone when it turned 50 years old in 2017. Perhaps it is fitting that attention at this year's conference, held in Las Vegas, seemed to focus on how developments in technology can better serve people, especially as they age. The show prominently featured self-driving vehicles, home automation, and health and fitness products of all sorts, even a tech-infused walking cane and a personal airbag. Of course drones, virtual reality, 3D printing, and all manner of audio were also much in evidence.
"CES 2017 shifted to a new level as large and small companies from around the globe gathered to reveal solutions for many of our world's most challenging problems," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Though some lamented the lack of new amazing gadgets and gizmos, CES 2017 set attendance records and did indeed show off the potential of connected technologies for vehicles, homes, health, fun, and everything in between. More than 3,800 companies, including over 600 start-ups, jammed into 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space. The throngs were there too, with more than 175,000 industry professionals, including 55,000 from outside the U.S. in attendance.
Thanks, once again, to CTA, the disability community was well represented, with Lee Huffman, AccessWorldEditor-in-Chief, joining me, an AFB-alumnus and the Founding Editor of AccessWorld, at the conference this year.
The Smart and "Responsive" Home
At the outset of CES, I set a goal to get a handle on the smart home. As it turns out, four days in Vegas may not be enough time to achieve that goal, particularly because there are oh-so-many distractions at CES, and that's not even taking into account gambling. Nevertheless, here are observations from the show and some further study.
"Alexa," turn on my home. Yes, Amazon's Echo, powered by Alexa, was seemingly implemented in all manner of devices for the home. Holiday purchasing was terrific for Amazon's Echo products, so perhaps we're seeing a tipping point for home control. But, hold on, what about the cost and value of smart home devices?
Remote controlled lighting, thermostats, smoke alarms, and automatic locks have now been around for several years. The growth in usage of smart phones and apps connects more home devices and possibly brings about improvements in independent living for people with disabilities, to boot.
Besides the cost of devices that connect to smart phones or Alexa, there is also the question of which company or standard will serve as the brain and nerve center for all this connectivity.
At CES, I decided to spend some time learning about some perhaps lesser-known companies and platforms in the smart home sector. For example, I was surprised to learn about the breadth of devices supported by Nexia, a brand of Ingersoll Rand. The goal, according to George Land, General Manager of Nexia, is to "create a wise and intelligent home where everything works well together as a system."
The Colorado-based company was showing off Amazon Echo-controlled devices, starting with lighting, thermostats, and plug-in wall modules. Nexia primarily uses secure Z-Wave and Wi-Fi technology for connectivity. The company said that Nexia bridges now control more than 500 different devices from more than 80 manufacturers, including Schlage, General Electric, Samsung, First Alert, Trane, American Standard, Heating and Air Conditioning, FIBARO, Andersen, and Pella.
I was impressed with how well controllers from FIBARO launched Nexia automations with a single tap of the button or a simple swipe gesture. The interface to Samsung's Wi-Fi enabled smart appliances provided an alert when the laundry is complete, though full control over appliance settings is not yet included. A connected power strip from Aeotec allowed independent control of each outlet on the strip so you can manage multiple devices.
For more information, visit the Nexia website.
I had not heard of the ULE Alliance and its smart home platform, so I stopped by for a visit. ULE (ultra-low energy) grew out of the standard used for cordless telephones, and its adherents claim it allows transmission of voice, data, and video with very good energy efficiency over a longer communication range, with interference-free operation. Advocates also said that many Internet service provider routers and common home devices already have chipsets built in that can work with ULE. The ULE Alliance introduced a certification program for ULE-based devices last year to help advance the use of the standards. The ULE Alliance has 100 members, including DECT Forum, Dialog Semiconductor, Gigaset, Intel, Panasonic, and Vtech Telecommunication Ltd.,
At CES, ULE exhibited a number of products that work with its single hub. ULE representatives also stressed that the protocol, with its roots in telecommunications technology, is very strong with regard to two-way voice transmission and control.
For more information, visit the ULE Alliance website.
An interesting smart home hub device was announced by SmartBeings, Inc., a Silicon Valley based Internet of Things startup, which unveiled the WooHoo, an interactive smart home hub with facial recognition and voice control. The somewhat cylindrical, 10-inch tall unit features a 360-degree HD camera, and a 360-degree spatial sound system. It has built in Wi-Fi BLE, Zigbee, Zwave, and 4G LTE. The WooHoo was priced at $49 through a Kickstarter campaign (which includes the first year of monthly subscription), and will retail for $89, with a $9 monthly subscription. Although it was a bit hard to see exactly what one would do with WooHoo, it was striking that the SmartBeings team showed real enthusiasm about accessibility. Although a lead developer admitted he hadn't considered accessibility, he grew visibly excited about the prospects of meeting the needs of people with disabilities. More info at the SmartBeings website.
Whirlpool created some excitement with its announcement of a new line-up of Whirlpool® smart kitchen and laundry appliances that can be controlled with the Whirlpool mobile app. An expanding collaboration with Amazon will bring Alexa voice-control capability with a far-field Alexa to several Whirlpool appliances. It seemed like the app- and Alexa-enabled appliances might start at the higher end of the price range, but hopefully connectivity will find its way into lower cost appliances as well. If you're in the market for home appliances, you might want to check to see what Whirlpool can offer.
Finally, for a different view, I visited Brooklyn-based kitchen appliance maker Gourmia. Several of its specialized appliances are either app-driven or controlled via Amazon Echo. Most of the devices also seemed to have a few tactile buttons, though some were menu function buttons with screen-based menus. We weren't able to test the app (which appears to still be in development), but the Alexa controlled devices appeared to work well. Some of the devices they were showing were the Sous Vide Pod (GSV140), the Supreme 8-in-1 Digital Multi-Function Cooker (GCM700), the 10-Cup Automatic Drip Coffee Maker with Built-In Grinder (GCM4500), the 9-in-1 Air Fryer & Multicooker, and the Halogen Powered Vertical Rotisserie Oven Stir Fry & Grill (GMF 2600).
Of course, this only scratches the surface of this large and growing area of consumer technology. Please let AccessWorld know if you'd like more smart home and appliance coverage.
Navigation and Wayfinding
Aira, the "visual interpreter for the blind," made a strong showing at CES, picking up a Best New Technology award from PC Magazine and garnering recognition from Engadget in the Accessibility and Start-Up categories. The San Diego-based company has been operating for nearly two years and has now launched its service. The Aira platform deploys wearable devices such as Google Glass that can be paired with iOS or Android smartphones. Using the camera mounted on the wearable device (or via the phone) the user connects to a remote sighted assistant (an agent) who can provide instant feedback for navigation assistance, read documents, and even help recognize people. When connected through Aira, the agent sees a live video feed and the location of the person on Google Maps, alongside a dashboard of other tools to help the agent provide useful information.
Aira has launched the "Explorer Program," through which the company seeks people with vision loss who are prepared to use the service and provide feedback designed to improve it. According to the Aira website, monthly subscriptions for the program currently range from $39 to $199, plus a $99 refundable deposit.
At CES, Aira also announced a partnership with AT&T to provide Aira users with a reliable connection, especially in times of network congestion.
Aira showed off the capability of the service at CES by encouraging booth visitors (blind and sighted alike), to wander the busy exhibit hall using remote guidance from an agent. It was great to be able to independently explore the show floor with an agent providing information about exhibits.
Audio
As with every other category of consumer technology, CES is loaded with companies boasting all kinds of audio gear. Below are a few of the products we were able to examine and try.
Headphone manufacturers continue to try to find ways to innovate and find something to differentiate themselves in this crowded sector. Something new is the use of filters to customize earbuds. Both RHA (a British company) and Echobox Audio, a new company from Bellevue, Washington, showed off in-ear headphones with filters to boost bass or treble in their mid-range and higher product line. The filters are tiny rings that screw into the post on which the tip is placed. RHA and Echobox also are trying to attract audiophiles and those who like a well-made product. The RHA line runs from $25-$250, while Echobox has three devices starting with the Traveler at $99 and topping out with the Nomad at $299.
AfterShokz, the bone-conduction headphones that many blind consumers love as they allow ears to remain open, is always worth a visit at CES. This year they were pleased to promote their new sport wired headphone product. If you have previously found AfterShokz headphones to be too heavy, you might like this one. The frame is lighter and the battery is now moved down near the plug to further reduce weight at the headphone.
JLab Audio, which was hard to find at CES, was happy to share information and a listening opportunity for their flex Bluetooth ANC, an over-the-ear, noise-cancelling headphone, $150. The sound was great and the product seemed to be made for the kind of bag shoving and jostling we all put our headphones through (plus they come with a carrying case. JLab was also showing the brand-new, sweat-proof, Epic Air True Wireless Earbuds. A nice feature is the ear hooks that both keep the buds from falling out of your ears and serve as an antenna to direct the Bluetooth signal around the back of the head, making a better bud-to-bud pairing. Each earbud has a mic so they can be used independently. The controls on the earbuds are tap-based, which might be a drawback. By the time you read this, they may be taking orders at around $150.
Audio-Technica invited attendees to experience its commitment to high-resolution audio with its new releases, the ATH-DSR9BT ($549) and ATH-DSR7BT ($299) Bluetooth wireless headphones. These use the company's proprietary Pure Digital Drive technology. Pure Digital Drive is designed to keep the audio signal entirely digital from source to headphones to deliver a superior sound. The company says the technology will be particularly effective at reducing interference in Bluetooth headphones. The headphones do not use audio indicators to assist with pairing or to indicate battery status, and the controls are handled through a series of taps.
Finally, one other product in the high-resolution digital audio category at CES 2017 was the Echobox Explorer. We got a chance to have a listen and check out this attractive, hardwood-bodied, flask-shaped player. An Echobox rep proudly mentioned to us that the Explorer runs on open-source Android OS, accessible through Talkback. Along with support for high-res lossless audio, it features 264 GB of memory.
For more information on CES, including the Best of CES honorees, check out: the Consumer Electronics Association website, Best of CES 2017 Awards | Engadget, and PC Magazine "The Best of CES 2017"
