CES 2018 Day 3: Pimax, Huawei, Omron and Smart Gadgets

Welcome to CES Day 3. Today, there were wireless chargers everywhere, an 8K VR headset, a table tennis playing robot, super fast mesh WiFi, smart lights that sync up with the music on your computer and a robot that sorts and folds your laundry.

Wireless Charging at CES 2018

Wireless charging is a technology that’s still in development. Now that Apple has added Qi wireless charging capability to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, third-party accessory companies are getting in on the act. Currently, the wireless charger is a little bit better than a USB cable as you do not need to plug it in, but the phone remains stationary on a pad. iOttie has a cloth-wrapped charging pad and stand, Belkin was showing off their wireless charging pads in a range of pastel colors. Wireless charging pads are ending up in everyday life places, like cars, businesses, hotels and public spaces. The next step in this technology’s path is pure wireless charging where you do not need to put your phone on anything, just carry it around and the battery will charge automatically.

Pimax’s 8K VR headset

Those into VR would be interested in Pimax’s 8K VR headset. Following on from last year where the headset debuted, Pimax went through five prototypes before this year’s CES event. The visuals of this VR headset are incredible; the display is 3840 x 2160 dual displays and a 200-degree field of view. This is a VR headset for VR enthusiasts who want to be at the forefront of technology. For consumers, a barrier to considering the purchase of Pimax’s VR headset is the need for a high powered computer system. Pimax claims you can use a GTX 1070 or 1080 for 4K visuals that are scaled up to 8K, but this still leaves a lot of consumers unable to use this in their home. The design of the VR headset is large and heavy, looking like something from science fiction.

Omron’s table tennis playing robot

Something that is very cool is a table tennis playing robot from Omron. This robot is called Forpheus, an acronym that stands for Future Omron Robotics technology for Exploring Possibility of Harmonized aUtomation with Sinic theoretics. In Forpheus, you will find a robotic arm controlled by AI using a 5-axis motor, a motion controller that is used to time, hit and direct the ball within 0.1mm. There are two cameras on the device modeled on human vision so the robot can detect what is happening in 3D space. A third camera watches the player, analyzing their style and skill level to offer advice on how to improve their game. Forpheus can automatically switch to different difficulty settings to suit the player. If you want inspiration as you practice, Forpheus has an LED screen that gives the player encouraging messages to keep them motivated. Guinness World Records announced Forpheus the title of “first robot table tennis tutor.”

Super fast WiFi with Huawei

China’s Huawei is moving into the mesh WiFi area following its success with smartphones and laptops. Huawei’s WiFi Q2 system is said to deliver connection speeds of up to 1867 Mbps. This number is incredibly high, meaning that the router can have a smooth, stable connection at the current possible average speed of 10-20 Mbps. The WiFi Q2 System unveiled at CES can support up to 192 devices connected simultaneously with 16 potential hot spots. Users have two options with this gadget. One possibility is a base with two satellites that take advantage of G.hn PLC technology. The other option is a hybrid three pack that uses wired and wireless connections. Security, encryption and password protection are built into the device, helping prevent against brute force attacks.

Smart lights getting smarter

Phillips is stepping up its game with smart lights. The company has developed an app that works on Windows 10, and macOS High Sierra called Hue Sync. Hue Sync analyses what is on your computer, whether it is games, movies, music, browsing a webpage or anything on the computer’s screen and matches the lights to suit the colors and atmosphere. There is a new mobile app coming out that is easier to use and has a more modern design that is similar to what Google does.

A robot named Laundroid

A prototype from Seven Dreamers has a robot that can sort and fold laundry. The robot is called Laundroid. Laundroid picks up clothing using cameras, connects to a server with artificial intelligence, compares the object to 256,000 different images of apparel and decides the best method of folding the clothing. The gadget is interesting, and if you think it is something you would like, expect to spend about $16,000.

That was day 3 of the CES in Las Vegas. There seems to be more of what is coming up in the future, an event of possibilities and future trends than what is available now.