https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/02/what-to-expect-at-ces-2018/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
The biggest tech show of the year is set to officially kick off January 9 — which actually means the big announcements. TechCrunch has made a lot of reporting over the years, so they have some idea what to expect.
Connected homes will likely dominate the show yet again, led by the explosive popularity of Alexa and Google Assistant. Some past themes will likely see a shift, meanwhile, as past years’ fascination with VR shifts to a more AR focus. Google, in particular, is reportedly planning quite a presence at this year’s show.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018: A Lesson in Network Redundancy
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/wireless/ces-2018-a-lesson-in-network-redundancy
“These gadgets mean nothing if you don’t have electricity,” Lillie points out.
His statement came shortly after two large exhibition halls at CES briefly lost power due to heavy rains that caused a flashover in a transformer, plunging exhibitors and attendees into semi-darkness. Once power and connectivity had been restored, Lillie also spoke about the importance of network redundancy, and taking care to upgrade systems that are currently in place.
“Technology is still dependent upon the day to day activity of someone maintaining the equipment,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ford plans to develop a connected car open-source platform
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/9/16868278/ford-connected-cloud-autonomic-ces-2018
Ford Transportation Mobility Cloud paves the way for other automakers to jump in
If there’s a common theme in Ford Motor Company’s approach to the future of transportation, it’s that there needs to be some rules.
Today, Ford thinks it’s on the path toward developing a platform for connected cars that everyone can, and should, play along with.
On Tuesday, Ford announced an extensive set of initiatives to enhance the development of connected cars. Among the multi-pronged approach are ongoing plans to work with Qualcomm on V2X communications for cities, cyclists, and cars. It also highlighted a partnership with Postmates. There’s just one catch in all of this: everyone has to agree this is the way to go.
Ford Transportation Mobility Cloud, a platform that, if it is successful, will connect cities and cars together.
Ford first announced its investment in Palo Alto-based Autonomic in October. In a Medium post released Tuesday, Madra and Rich Strader said Autonomic was the first step in creating the Transportation Mobility Cloud, the open-sourced platform for companies and cities to join if they want to make the most of the connected world we’re supposed to be closing in on.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nat Levy / GeekWire:
Microsoft’s Andrew Shuman says firm is playing the long game with Cortana after Amazon and Google overshadowed Cortana smart home and SDK announcements at CES — LAS VEGAS — Lost in the shuffle of Amazon and Google’s digital assistant showdown this week at CES is another tech giant’s virtual brain: Microsoft’s Cortana.
Where’s Cortana? Microsoft is playing the long game as Amazon and Google dominate CES
https://www.geekwire.com/2018/wheres-cortana-microsoft-says-playing-long-game-amazon-google-dominate-ces/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Source: Verizon to sharpen content strategy with OTT video service, IoT platform
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/11/source-verizon-to-sharpen-content-strategy-with-ott-video-service-iot-platform/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Assistant had a good CES
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/13/google-assistant-had-a-good-ces/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Google delivered. After having virtually no presence at the show in past years, the company went from zero to 60. Practically no press conference or news release went by without some mention of Assistant. The company played its hand well at the show. There was no big Google press conference, and it didn’t release a single piece of its own hardware.
Instead, it harnessed the platforms of its highest profile tech partners — Sony, LG, Lenovo, Huawei and the like.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inspired by insect ears, Soundskrit wants to make microphones magically directional
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/10/inspired-by-insect-ears-soundskrit-wants-to-make-microphones-magically-directional/
Soundskrit is a brand new company that aims to replace those many mics with a single one that can clearly hear and separate sound from multiple sources and directions.
The Soundskrit device easily tracked two separate voices speaking from different directions simultaneously
This can already be done, of course, but it’s done in a rather clumsy way, by taking the signals from multiple microphones
It’s complex and ends up reducing the quality of the recorded sound, especially in the lower registers.
Soundskrit’s tech does a similar thing with a special membrane on a custom chip.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Home at CES 2018
https://techcrunch.com/tag/smart-home-at-ces-2018/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
The secret to avoiding CES cynicism is never really going
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/13/the-secret-to-avoiding-ces-cynicism-is-never-really-going/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
The math is simple: when a company gets big enough to get itself a big booth showing off its products, it is almost always at that point that it ceases to be a source of real innovation — or at least the kind of innovation I think is worth tracking down and writing about at CES. They don’t do anything truly cool, nor anything truly dumb.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alexa support comes to 2018 TVs from Sony, Hisense and LG
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/08/alexa-support-comes-to-2018-tvs-from-sony-and-hisense/
Alexa continues to make its way to the TV — going beyond attached players like Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick or the Fire TV Edition televisions. At CES, a number of TV manufacturers announced their plans to integrate Amazon’s voice-controlled smart assistant into their own sets, either for the first time or as an expansion on earlier efforts, including Hisense, Sony and LG.
Tomi Engdahl says:
GoPro CEO explains shutdown of company’s Karma drone unit
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/09/gopro-ceo-explains-shutdown-of-drone-program/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
GoPro confirmed TechCrunch’s reporting that the company was shuttering its Karma drone division and laying off hundreds of employees. Today, CEO Nick Woodman is at CES on damage control.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Autonomous Cars at CES 2018
https://techcrunch.com/tag/autonomous-cars-at-ces-2018/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
This AR headset won’t win any style points, but it fills the world with fish
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/11/this-ar-headset-wont-win-any-style-points-but-it-fills-the-world-with-fish/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Hong Kong-based RealMax came to CES with an augmented reality headset they want to get on to everyone’s faces. The prototype is a little rough around the edges, but it fills more of the world with digital images than any AR device I’ve ever seen.
http://www.realmax.com
Tomi Engdahl says:
AR/VR at CES 2018
https://techcrunch.com/tag/ar-vr-at-ces-2018/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES should move to an innovative city
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/11/ces-should-move-to-an-innovative-city/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lishtot’s TestDrop tells you whether water is safe to drink without even touching it
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/11/lishtots-testdrop-tells-you-whether-water-is-safe-to-drink-without-even-touching-it/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Consistent access to clean water is something billions lack, and part of that is the inability to check whether one’s water is clean or not. Lishtot could help change this with a tiny device that instantly determines if water is safe to drink just by analyzing the electric field around it — no strips, no microfluidics, no toxic chemicals. It honestly sounds too good to be true, but as far as I can tell it’s the real thing.
Turns out that the whole thing is based on the electromagnetic fields that surround everything. Water creates its own local field, which is measured by moving the TestDrop through it, and it turns out that clean water emits a slightly different field than water with lead or chlorine in it, water with E. coli, water with dissolved animal matter and so on.
If, however, you do want to bring in the smartphone and app part, there’s a service that Lishtot is running that tracks tests done with its devices, if users choose to submit them.
http://lishtot.com/index.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
At CES 2018 Powercast, Energous to Demo Wireless Charging at a Distance
http://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/ces-2018-powercast-energous-demo-wireless-charging-distance?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20180115_ED-003_194&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=14923&utm_medium=email&elq2=3af903486b7348848f7b7770ababec70
On Dec. 26th Powercast Corporation said that it will unveil at CES (booth #40268) an FCC- (Part 15) and ISED-approved (Innovation, Science, and Economic Development, Canada) three-watt PowerSpot transmitter which can deliver over-the-air charging to multiple electronic devices from a few inches to 80 ft. away, and that charging mats or direct line of sight are not needed.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hackaday Links: The ‘S’ In ‘CES’ Stands For Snake Oil
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/14/hackaday-links-the-s-in-ces-stands-for-snake-oil/
Remember IRDA? Before we had Bluetooth and WiFi, the cool kids connected their computers and printers together over fancy Infrared connections. Yes, your computer probably still has the drivers, but the hardware is nowhere to be found. For good reason, too: we now have Bluetooth and WiFi. This year, at CES, IRDA is making a comeback. MyLiFi is a product from OLEDCOMM that puts infrared connectivity in a lamp. All you need to do is plug an Ethernet cable into a desk lamp, a proprietary dongle into your computer, and you too can reap the benefits of a wireless connection with a range measured in meters. One of the selling points of this product is that this gives you wireless Internet ‘without radio waves’, marketing to the idiots who think RF causes cancer or whatever. It’s a stupid product that’s a highlight of the entire trade show.
During this year’s CES, Intel tweeted, “With each person on earth soon to be producing ~1.5 GB of #data each day, it is a resource without limits“.
Oh, crap, we’re getting into cryptocurrency…
Kodak has announced their own blockchain. Is Kodak going to the moon? Yes, but hold on: this might be a good idea. Kodak wants to use a blockchain for ‘image rights management’, where photographers can register, archive, and license their work. It’s a blockchain, and also a solution to a problem: something you don’t see much of these days.
The guy behind the Maker Movement wants to create a blockchain platform for Makers. Who’s this guy behind the Maker Movement? Mark Hatch, former CEO of TechShop
We all know (or should) that safes in Las Vegas hotel rooms aren’t secure. CES 2018 has finally innovated on the hotel safe and come up with something you really don’t want to put your money, wallet, or passport in. It’s an Internet of Things safe.
CES 2018: iKeyp smart safe proves easy to crack open
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-42634501/ces-2018-ikeyp-smart-safe-proves-easy-to-crack-open
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018: Waiting for the $100 Lidar
https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/sensors/ces-2018-how-a-new-generation-lidars-is-redefining-the-car
For the past decade, the easiest way to spot a self-driving car was to look for the distinctive spinning bucket mounted to its roof. The classic lidar design pioneered by Velodyne spins 64 lasers through 360 degrees, producing a three-dimensional view of the car’s surroundings from the reflected laser beams.
That complicated and bulky set-up has traditionally also been expensive. Velodyne’s US $75,000 lidar famously cost several times the sticker price of the Toyota Priuses that formed the nucleus of Google’s original self-driving car fleet.
Velodyne now sells its cheapest 16-laser lidar for $4,000, and a host of startups are nipping at its heels with solid-state lidars that could soon be as cheap as $100 each.
“Cameras are in a very good place and will continue to get better, automotive radar has been well established… but lidar is an area that has been underexplored,”
CES this year saw many lidar companies demonstrating solid-state lidars. LeddarTech was showing a lidar system-on-a-chip that it says will cost less than $100 at production volumes, while rival Innoviz unveiled a high-resolution lidar based on MEMS—tiny microelectromechanical mirrors that steer a single fixed laser.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Coolest Medtech Products at CES
https://www.mddionline.com/coolest-medtech-products-ces?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=2886&elq_cid=876648
AI, VR, and concept cars grabbed most of the headlines at this year’s CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, but these medical technologies on display at the event could help make a real difference in people’s lives.
realistic VR applications, drones zipping in every direction, and robots of all kinds. But while attendees often flock to booths that display flashy concept cars and the latest in gaming and smart home products, some of the most potentially impactful technology at the event is aimed at healthcare.
The BoneTag device, developed by a France-based team, is used to trace and identify problems associated with orthopedic implants. It plugs directly into the implant and contains an RFID antenna that allows providers to identify the implant from outside the body.
Somerville, MA-based BrainRobotics is developing an intelligent, robotic prosthetic hand that amputees can actually afford. Such devices typically cost between $40,000 and $60,000, according to the company, but BrainRobotics is aiming to get its solution on the market for around $2,000
France-based Diabeloop is one of a number of companies pursuing artificial pancreas technology that would help people with type 1 diabetes manage their disease. The company’s solution uses a Bluetooth-connected continuous glucose sensor to monitor the patient’s glycemia and send data to a smartphone-based app, where it is analyzed by a proprietary algorithm that controls delivery of insulin by a connected patch pump.
Brisbane, Australia-based Ellume hopes to help consumers combat the flu and other common illnesses from the front lines—also known as the local drug store. The company is developing a home-based diagnostic platform that can test for influenza A and B, group A streptococcus, and eventually respiratory syncytial virus, tuberculosis, and some sexually transmitted diseases.
Ellume envisions users will be able to pick up the test for around $20 at brick-and-mortar drug stores as well as online through retailers such as Amazon.
Focused ultrasound uses intersecting beams of energy to ablate tissue, disrupt cell growth, ramp up the immune system, and even deliver drugs, and it’s gaining more and more attention.
Israel-based ICI Vision is developing digital eyewear that could help improve sight in people with conditions such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Lancaster, PA-based Reflexion Interactive Technologies is taking a novel approach to concussion screening. Its Reflexion Edge tool uses a foldable touchscreen equipped with 2,500 LEDs to test users’ dexterity, hand-eye coordination, peripheral vision, and lateral precision, with scores measured via the company’s proprietary software.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel Unveils Prototype Neuromorphic Chip for AI on the Edge
https://www.designnews.com/electronics-test/intel-unveils-prototype-neuromorphic-chip-ai-on-edge/92842399058097?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=2888&elq_cid=876648
At CES 2018 Intel unveiled a prototype chip, Loihi, that mimics the architecture of the human brain for adaptable AI processing on the edge.
Intel isn’t letting controversy over a series of processor bugs stop it from continuing to push innovation in processors. 2018 is already looking to be the year that competition in the artificial intelligence processor space really heats up. And at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Intel made its first major chip announcement of the year by unveiling a new prototype neuromorphic chip, codenamed Loihi (pronounced low-ee-hee), which it says will enable devices to perform advanced deep learning processing on the edge with new levels of power efficiency.
“This has been a major research effort by Intel and today we have a fully functioning neuromorphic research chip,” Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said during his keynote at CES 2018. “This incredible technology adds to the breadth of AI solutions that Intel is developing.” Krzanich added that Intel has already used Loihi successfully in image recognition tests in its own labs.
In a video from Intel shown as part of the keynote, Mike Davis, the director of Intel’s Neuromorphic Computing Lab further explained: “Traditional computing rests on this basic idea that you have two computing elements – a CPU and a memory. Neuromorphic computing is throwing that out and starting from a completely different point on the architectural spectrum.”
With Loihi engineers will be able to build a network, feed it data, and that data will change the network, much in the same way that new information changes the brain. The chip can learn and infer on its own without the add of any sort of external update from the cloud or other source. And it does all of this while using fewer resources than a general compute chip. According to Intel, Loihi is up to 1,000 times more energy-efficient than the general purpose computing that is typically used for training neural networks. Ultimately this could mean creating devices that can adapt and modify their own performance in real time.
Of course these chips won’t be able to just pick up any new task like a human. Like any neural network they will still have to be initially trained. Neuromorphic chips are also generally slower than general-purpose CPUs. There advantages come in their specialization and their ability to adapt from their training.
2018 CES: Neuromophic Computing Mimics the Human Brain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXNCz26UhyY
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel presents Neuromorphic Computing at CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2z5o4ZoZrU
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s CES 2018 event in 15 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lbM5vsqJd8
At CES 2018, Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich addressed the biggest issue Intel faces today: the security and speed issues surrounding Meltdown and Spectre. Krzanich promised that Intel will have Meltdown and Spectre fixes for 90 percent of recent products within a week. Intel also partnered with German aviation company Volocopter to show off a flying taxi prototype which took its first US flight during the keynote.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow
CES High-Tech Nirvana: 10 Techie Trends You Missed by Staying Home
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332851
Ford CEO, Jim Hackett, keynoted, telling the audience that the auto maker is pivoting to become a smart city systems and mobility provider.
Steve Koenig, CTA’s Senior director of Market Research, explained why 2018 will be another bumper year for the electronics industry, reaching $351 billion in the United States alone, and that three ingredient technologies will dominate. Those ingredients are 5G, AI, and robotics.
5G wireless networks will herald an age where connectivity is taken for granted in the same way electricity is now. Offering 100 times faster than 4G and near zero latency
AI is becoming conversation. AI is becoming conversation.
Intel’s CEO Brain Krzanich showed a world of virtual reality delivered immersive entertainment that allows sports fans to see every play from any location.
Robots got a whole lot smarter, and, with AI control
Finland, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden and United States are the top five innovations champions according to the new CTA International Innovation Scorecard.
Cities are going to get much smarter. Half of the world’s population live in cities, compared to one third in 1960. The UN expects this to be two thirds by 2050.
3D Printing is providing real solutions to real problems like custom low-cost prosthetics as an example
Tomi Engdahl says:
Haptics Technology Goes Mainstream in Gaming, Automotive at CES
https://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1332817
This year’s event could be a coming out party for new types of technologies for haptics — relating to touch — that enable more immersive experiences.
In the heart of the gaming industry in Las Vegas, a Bristol, UK-based company will be showing off mid-air haptics technology it says can enable new multi-sensory 4D gaming experiences in slot machines and automotive retail, such as allowing users to “feel” the revs of an engine in augmented reality.
The company, Ultrahaptics, has developed a core technology that manipulates modulated ultrasound, from an array of ultrasonic transducers, to enable the creation of tactile sensations in free space so that products and devices communicate with the user through haptic feedback.
Ultrahaptics will use CES in Las Vegas in 2018 to reveal how its technology is already being used to enable new experiences in slot machines. London-based IGT (International Game Technology) is using its mid-air haptic feedback solution for implementation in IGT’s TRUE 4D games on the CrystalCurve TRUE 4D cabinet.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MediaTek Pushes AI to the Edge
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332840
MediaTek demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show its readiness for the post-smartphone era by moving into several new sectors, including chips for data switches, automotive and AI processors for edge devices.
David Ku, MediaTek’s chief financial officer, discussed plans to bring “a certain AI function” that requires only small computational power to a large volume of devices including light switches. “We want to become an edge AI enabler,” he told EE Times in a one-on-one interview at CES.
Downplaying the company’s dependence on the smartphone market, Ku said smartphones — the single biggest driver for the company’s growth over the past several years — generated “less than 40 percent” of its revenue last year.
Roughly 30 percent of MediaTek’s sales last year derived from its Internet of Things (IoT) and ASIC/PMIC businesses. Ku described these two units as MediaTek’s “growth sector,” which grew 20 percent last year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Voice and AI Explosion Rocks CES
Voice is ‘really hard,’ AI moves to the edge
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332845
Voice, connectivity and AI took center stage at the Consumer Electronics Show last week. If this year’s CES is any indication, these three building blocks will compose the holy trinity of consumer electronics devices that will drive the market in 2018 and further into the future.
Voice assistants are now poised to move into wearables, headphones, baby monitors, lamps, TV remotes and vehicles. Paul Beckmann, founder and chief technology officer of DSP Concepts, told EE Times, “We are witnessing a Cambrian explosion around voice.”
At CES, Baidu, known as “China’s Google,” shouted out most loudly for voice by unveiling and opening to developers its Duer OS-based platform. Neither its voice-enabled lamp, ceiling-mounted projector nor screen need Alexa or Google Assist. A growing number of vendors are gravitating toward voice, as Baidu loves to say, at “China speed.”
Connectivity in consumer devices is already a given. The next necessity is the ability to “mix and match” different wireless networks, stressed Silicon Labs CEO Tyson Tuttle. Casually slapping onto IoT devices a connectivity chip originally designed for smartphones will no longer suffice, he explained. Systems need dynamic multi-protocol software and the ability to time-slice different wireless networks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
As Rivals Tussle, Silicon Labs Soars
One-on-one with Silicon Labs CEO at CES
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332847
Silicon Labs is riding high. The Austin, Texas-based chip vendor has taken a methodical approach in its pursuit of the IoT market, focused keenly on expanding its wireless portfolio and developing a multiprotocol environment among different wireless networks.
These efforts, most recently, resulted in a record $100 million in revenue from the company’s IoT products in the third quarter of 2017.
Silicon Labs CEO Tyson Tuttle, buttonholed at the Consumer Electronics Show, conceded that his company has benefited from turmoil among its rivals, who have been preoccupied with M&A upheavals.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018: The Rise of Drones
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/consumer-electronics/gadgets/ces-2018-gadgets-and-technology-on-the-showfloor
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018: Tech Industry Leaders Talk DACA, H1-B
https://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the-valley/at-work/tech-careers/ces-2018-tech-industry-leaders-talk-daca-h1b
Turmoil in the U.S. immigration system is hurting tech companies. That’s the consensus of panelists from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft, and Phone2Action, speaking at a session on immigration at CES in Las Vegas last week.
The mess is not brand new, it’s just getting worse, the panelists indicated.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Wearable UV Sensor — At Your Fingertips
https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/1198-tb/news/news/28251?utm_source=TBnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20180116_Main_Insider&eid=376641819&bid=1974968
Creators of a new, M&M-sized wearable device aim to bring UV detection to users’ fingertips – or more precisely, fingernails.
Cosmetics company L’Oréal, in partnership with Northwestern University engineers, developed UV Sense, an 8 mm-sized sensor that can be placed onto clothing, jewelry, and the hand.
The miniaturized wireless platform measures exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light – a radiation that can cause freckling, sunburn, and dermatological disorders. UV Sense sends warnings of too-much-sun to a wearer’s phone.
The product’s inventors hope that the monitoring technology will lead users to adopt safer behavior patterns, such as seeking shade, and help to prevent skin cancers like melanoma.
How Does UV Sense Work?
UV Sense is, essentially, an ultraviolet LED operating in reverse. Instead of emitting light, however, the LED takes in UV photons, which create a small amount of current that is then captured on a capacitor.
Researchers Develop World’s Smallest Wearable Device
Tiny wearable electronic device monitors UV exposure
http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/articles/2018/01/researchers-develop-worlds-smallest-wearable-device.html
The device, as light as a raindrop and smaller in circumference than an M&M, is powered by the sun and contains the world’s most sophisticated and accurate UV dosimeter. It was unveiled Sunday, Jan. 7, at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and will be called UV Sense.
“We think it provides the most convenient, most accurate way for people to measure sun exposure in a quantitative manner,”
UV Sense has no moving parts, no battery, is waterproof and can be attached to almost any part of the body or clothing, where it continuously measures UV exposure in a unique accumulation mode.
“It is orders of magnitude smaller than anything else out there,”
Users need only to download an app on their smartphone, then swipe the phone over the device to see their exposure to the sun, either for that day or over time. The app can suggest other, less UV-intense times for outdoor activities or give peace of mind to individuals who are concerned about overexposure.
“Sunlight is the most potent known carcinogen,” Rogers said. “It’s responsible for more cancers than any other carcinogen known to man, and it’s everywhere — even in Chicago.”
On average, half the US population experiences a sunburn once a year or more, he said, and there are more than a million melanoma survivors in the US alone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018: Waiting for the $100 Lidar
https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/sensors/ces-2018-how-a-new-generation-lidars-is-redefining-the-car
For the past decade, the easiest way to spot a self-driving car was to look for the distinctive spinning bucket mounted to its roof. The classic lidar design pioneered by Velodyne spins 64 lasers through 360 degrees, producing a three-dimensional view of the car’s surroundings from the reflected laser beams.
That complicated and bulky set-up has traditionally also been expensive. Velodyne’s US $75,000 lidar famously cost several times the sticker price of the Toyota Priuses that formed the nucleus of Google’s original self-driving car fleet.
Those days are long gone. Velodyne now sells its cheapest 16-laser lidar for $4,000, and a host of startups are nipping at its heels with solid-state lidars that could soon be as cheap as $100 each.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Coolest Medtech Products at CES
https://www.mddionline.com/coolest-medtech-products-ces?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=2886&elq_cid=876648
AI, VR, and concept cars grabbed most of the headlines at this year’s CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, but these medical technologies on display at the event could help make a real difference in people’s lives.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This $1,000 laundry-folding robot is my favorite bad idea from CES
http://mashable.com/2018/01/09/foldimate-laundry-folding-robot-ces-2018/?utm_cid=hp-h-1#lseRigC0ggqp
Who actually likes doing laundry?
First you have to sort through your clothes, organize them by material and color, wash them, dry them —then after all that, fold them. But what if you could have a subservient robot take care of the last step for you?
That’s the (um … bad) idea behind FolidMate, the $980 laundry-folding robot being shown off at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. The original concept for the machine was on display at last year’s conference, but it didn’t have any moving components. This year, the creators have rigged up the machine to accept clothing you feed it, but it still doesn’t actually fold the clothes.
It was admittedly easy to clip in fresh towels and shirts, however, when I tried feeding the machine a long-sleeve shirt, the sleeve got caught on the entrance and the machine jammed.
Still, even if the machine worked perfectly, $1,000 is a hell of a lot of money to spend on a small inconvenience. I could potentially see my laundromat buying one of these to make life easier when they have to do bulk loads of laundry, but even for a small business, that’s a lot of money.
The company expects to begin shipping in “late 2019,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
What We’ve Already Learned About the Future of Cars in 2018
https://www.wired.com/story/what-weve-already-learned-about-the-future-of-cars-in-2018/
2018 may be so new that you’re still complaining about how rough 2017 was, but these early weeks have already changed the course of the auto industry, or at least revealed the path forward. That’s because two of the most important exhibitions, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, happen every January.
At CES 2018, the emphasis was still electrification, with flashy EV launches from the likes of Byton and Fisker. There was also a doubling down on autonomous driving technology. Companies are now getting confident about demonstrating their self-driving cars, including some without any human controls.
You can see the car with no steering wheel, or pedals, wearing lights that can wink at pedestrians
At the North American International Auto Show, automakers reminded the world that while electric might be the future, gas cars have plenty of life left in the tank.
The takeaway? Manufacturers are more eager than ever to tell you autonomous, electric cars are the future, and that they’re helping make it happen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Plessey Rolls MicroLED, Moves to Licensing Model
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332837
Plessey Semiconductor said it expects to be the first to market with a monolithic microLED based display on its GaN-on-Silicon technology. The company also moved to a technology licensing model (as opposed to just manufacturing), to become a key technology platform provider for the photonics industry.
At CES this week, Plessey is engaging with various display manufacturers and OEMs with a demonstrator to help prove its monolithic approach, and proving the brightness and addressability of the device. The company says it expects to have a prototype microLED fabricated using a GaN-on-Silicon approach at the end of this month and a product by the end of the first half of 2018.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Voice and AI Explosion Rocks CES
Voice is ‘really hard,’ AI moves to the edge
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332845
LAS VEGAS — Voice, connectivity and AI took center stage at the Consumer Electronics Show last week. If this year’s CES is any indication, these three building blocks will compose the holy trinity of consumer electronics devices that will drive the market in 2018 and further into the future.
Voice assistants are now poised to move into wearables, headphones, baby monitors, lamps, TV remotes and vehicles. Paul Beckmann, founder and chief technology officer of DSP Concepts, told EE Times, “We are witnessing a Cambrian explosion around voice.”
At CES, Baidu, known as “China’s Google,” shouted out most loudly for voice by unveiling and opening to developers its Duer OS-based platform.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Combo Enables Simultaneous Streaming for Multiple In-Car Devices
Two complete Wi-Fi subsystems from Cypress Semiconductor allow two data streams to run at full throughput.
http://www.electronicdesign.com/automotive/wi-fibluetooth-combo-enables-simultaneous-streaming-multiple-car-devices?NL=ED-004&Issue=ED-004_20180118_ED-004_254&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=14971&utm_medium=email&elq2=b17e0457b5fc47d885303ec16286628d
At last week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Cypress Semiconductor announced production availability of a combination solution that delivers 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to vehicles, enabling multiple users to connect and stream different content to their devices simultaneously.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018: 5G News and Nuggets
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/wireless/ces-2018-5g-news-and-nuggets
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google booth tour at CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4gCKiftdeQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
Our Best of CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S47H33fyCIc
the very best Android announcements of CES 2018
Tomi Engdahl says:
All the best laptops from CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YJN2LKK2NE
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony CES 2018 event in 7 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgixA-vMJww
LG at CES 2018 in 10 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUQ-UO42FGQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony’s new Aibo is a very good robot dog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJoAcEI2PXQ
Sony has resurrected Aibo, its iconic robot dog brand, and we got our first look at the brand new model at CES 2018. It features OLED eyes, touch-sensitive areas for petting, and more realistic movement than ever.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung 146-inch MicroLED 4K TV and 85-inch 8K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imIrem-9hEc
Samsung introduced two groundbreaking TVs at CES 2018, including its first MicroLED TV, which includes tech that could give OLED a run for its money. There’s also an 85-inch version of a new and improved QLED TV.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LG Display 65-inch rollable OLED TV hands-on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBhO-8gq_LQ
LG Display’s 65-inch rollable OLED TV is only a prototype, so there’s no price or release date, but it’s still very cool. Senior editor Vlad Savov got a first look at the TV at CES 2018.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LG Display 8K OLED TV hands-on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYhgJlEn880
LG Display’s 88-inch 8K TV has some intense pixel density going on with a resolution that’s four times as much as a 4K TV. Tech editor Vlad Savov got a first look at the TV at CES 2018
Tomi Engdahl says:
The coolest wireless chargers of CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmzp1lzAxeU
After Apple adopted the Qi wireless charging standard with its newest iPhone 8 and X models, accessory companies are now producing more charging pads than ever. They’re available in all types of form factors, colors, and price range, making it one of the few technology standards that is truly universal.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Best of CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UCOkXe6fyY
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES 2018 Intel Drone Light Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxymra0Dppk
On Monday, January 8, 2018, Intel launched 250 Shooting Star drones over the Bellagio and synced up a dazzling display in the sky with the ever popular Fountains of Bellagio show.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Weirdest Tech of CES 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHNrBuN4V3U