The best gadgets of CES 2021, part 3. Delighting the geek soul
Can a robot look into the human soul and take off the heavy burden of problems and worries from it? CES attendees try to find the keys to all consumer desires over and over again, including the soul. They seem to have learned over the years to come up with more realistic options: ones that you can go, buy and use, rather than wait years for release.
In the third part of the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show review, Madrobots team shares how to please the soul at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Spoiler alert: there will be flying cars, a sea of beer and a lot of robots.
But do robots dream of electric sheep?
If you missed, we recommend checking out the previous collections of CES 2021 gadgets:
Part 1. Putting together a smart home
Part 2. Improving your body
Robot pet with artificial “hormones” Zoocial
unconventional behavior;
imitation of life;
different appearance design.
Looking at Zoocial, one involuntarily recalls Bulychev’s “Mystery of the Third Planet” and Alice’s adventures around the planet of robots. These small robots mimic the natural patterns of behavior of wild animals: caution, fear, flock. The algorithm replaces “hormones”, so the robot does not behave like a formulaic dog from a cartoon. This is an interesting prototype and toy that will delight the child in the soul of every geek.
Koda, a blockchain-powered robot dog
the world’s first decentralized robot dog;
trainable and self-evolving;
social, interacts with hosts;
can be used as a guard dog.
In 2021, even the dog was shoved into the blockchain! Koda is a robot powered by decentralized artificial intelligence. The four-legged design is reminiscent of Boston Dynamics designs. The robot dog knows how to guard the territory and monitor it, socially interact with people and share its computing power, if the owners need them. Does that mean Assassin’s Creed can be played on Kode as long as the loyal blockchain dog is watching the house? Only those who are lucky enough to get a pet can find out: the startup selects potential owners and gives robots only into good hands.
Price issue: from 1000 $
Site: koda9.com
Artificial intelligence robot Maicat
recognizes faces and reacts to emotions;
recognizes the owner’s voice;
learns and explores its surroundings using deep learning;
he autonomously decides what he will do.
A lot of pet robots have been released in recent years, but they are all limited to their intended functions. For the tenth time, repetitive reactions start to annoy. The robot Maicat, as befits a cat, is not like that. He walks by himself and with the help of AI analyzes the situation and decides for himself what to do, right on the spot. The robot recognizes the faces and voices of the owners, recognizes emotions and takes them into account. Considering that a robotic dog is in the sea market, such an advanced robotic cat is already an innovation in itself.
Site: macroact.com
Petit Qoobo Interactive Therapy Companion Robot
a robot in the form of a pillow with a tail;
tail waves emotionally to interact with the owner;
reacts to sounds and touch;
simulates the sound of a heartbeat;
replaces the pet.
Yukai Engineering Inc. for several years in a row he has brought to the virtual CES a typically Japanese solution to a typically Japanese problem. In small apartments in Tokyo and other megacities of the country, there is often nowhere and you cannot have pets. The Qoobo robot replaces the furry friend by being a furry pillow. The pillow purrs, imitates a heartbeat and wags its tail diligently. Petit Qoobo is a smaller robot that you can take with you to the office so as not to go crazy over long hours alone with the computer.
But the dog is still not a substitute.
Price tag: $ 80
Site: ux.xu.com
INTHEKEG Smart Brewing Machine
produces 180 liters at a time
fully automated process, from fermentation to fermentation and bottling;
10 separate smart “kegs”, you can produce 10 varieties at once;
automatic sterilization and cleaning;
the whole process can be monitored through the application.
Korean startup Inthekeg has created a robot brewer. The miracle machine at a time produces 180 liters of beer, and ten varieties at once: that is how many “smart kegs” are connected to it at a time. The whole process is automatic, a person only has to pour water and fill in the ingredients. Inthekeg is aimed at small craft breweries rather than home use; but what beer lover would refuse such a toy?
Price tag: $ 7,000
Site: inthekeg.com
Ludotech OLEM Companion Robot for Board Games
combines the convenience of virtuality with the cozy spirit of live board games with friends;
now all bulky boxes with games fit in one robot and application;
explains the rules, allows you to implement innovative game mechanics.
There is a reason why board games are a favorite outlet for geeks, but not mere mortals. These are “huge boxes” and “complex rules in huge boxes.” The OLEM robot of the French startup Ludotech is changing the paradigm. Now, to play, it is enough to pull out a device the size of a puck, which will teach you how to play and help you follow the process. If we also take an additional field, the robot will move around it, adding new game mechanics.
In the end, this is another box: with OLEM and accessories for it. We hope it can be the last one you need. One box to rule them all!
Site: ludo.tech
Petcube Bites 2 Interactive Camera and Feeder
you can keep in touch with your pet using a video camera and microphone;
supports Wi-Fi 5 GHz;
pet treat dispenser;
dubs smart speaker with smart assistant.
Pets are a part of our life that we have to leave at home. The Petcube Bites 2 camera with feeder function helps you keep in touch with your favorite dog and cat if you work late again or go on vacation. The wide-angle camera transmits live broadcast to your smartphone, and you can talk to your bored furry friend over the microphone. And just one tap in the application, and a delicacy will fly out of the dispenser. By the way, the camera reacts to sounds and events. Notice that the pet is mischievous – immediately throw off the notification.
Price tag: $ 249
Site: petcube.com
Pal-V Liberty is the first flying machine available on the market
gyrocopter, easy and safe to operate;
quieter than a helicopter;
in case of breakage, it is easy to plant;
converts to flight mode in 5 minutes;
can operate within the framework of existing European and American legislation.
The soul of any geek soars in the clouds. In the sense that we want a future with new technologies, and not a little better iPhones. Pal-V’s Liberty flying car seems to be such a thing: the first affordable flying car. Hybrid: it can take off, land and drive on the road. It’s a gyroplane, which means it’s easy to land. The concept has been in development since 2001, and now it looks like it’s ready to be yours … if legislators allow it.
Site: pal-v.com
Skydrive Flying Car Concept
vertical takeoff;
accommodates two people;
already tested, the drone flies;
speed up to 60 km / h;
takes up no more space than a couple of cars.
The creators of the Skydrive flying car promise, like their competitors, a revolution in transportation. It is a flying electric vehicle, or rather a passenger drone with eight propellers that takes off and lands vertically. This means less stress on existing infrastructure and more freedom to move. At least for early adopters and until such machines fill the sky. They promise to release it on sale “soon”, in the best traditions of dreams of the sky.
Site: en.skydrive2020.com
Artificial Intelligence for Memories Hu.Man.Ai / Luther.Ai
“Google Autocomplete for Memories”, lets you remember important thoughts;
cross-platform solution, works with Google, mail, smartphones, etc .;
memories are stored on the blockchain;
increases efficiency, reduces stress and anxiety due to forgotten.
Hu.Man.Ai is not a hardware startup, these are also found at CES. It has two advantages: it is already in the early access phase and it combines usefulness with a romantic attitude. A cyberpunk-style service uploads your memories into a kind of Google Autocomplete, which will then help to substitute thoughts and events when you write something.
Logging yourself entirely into the cloud is a familiar idea if you are interested in transhumanism, but it has the obvious problem of third-party access to data. The creators assure that the data will not be sold and is available only to the user. However, humanity has already rewritten all its innermost desires and thoughts on social networks and online stores in exchange for likes and discounts, so another service that can “mine” our souls will not do the weather.
Site: hu.man.ai
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More robots and more startups – in our reports from past CES:
Crazy robots in Vegas. Traveling to CES 2020
Startups at CES 2019: part one
Startups at CES 2019: part two. Strange and magical gadgets
For Habr’s readers in the Madrobots gadgets store 5% discount on all products. Promo code: HABR
