The 5 weirdest products on show at CES 2023 plus the return of the Millennium Point Scholarship.
Hello All!
It’s time for the return of the Tech Roundup for 2023 and this time around we’re looking at the top 5 weirdest products on show at CES, billed as ‘the most influential tech event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators.’
Formally called the Consumer Electronics Show, each year the biggest names in the electronics industry descend on Las Vegas where the gather for tech, blackjack, and other things…
1. The Skyted It’s the only thing which nose what your saying
Reminding me somewhat of the Nosulus Rift from South Park: The Fractured But Whole, but hopefully without the odour, is the SkyTed; a ‘a disruptive sound absorbing open air mask’ designed to make your calls private whilst on the move.
Hoping to capitalise on those working from home [ and maybe also Bane cosplayers], the mask reduces sound by between -25 to -40 dB. Allowing for near silent voice calls using bone conduction microphones.
Aimed to provide voice privacy on airplanes, open offices or on public transport in a comfortable manner we’ll see how it catches on. SkyTed are partnered with Airbus, the European Space Agency and The French aerospace Lab so there are some heavyweight funders behind it, you might see them come to business class near you soon!
2. Stream your urine analysis to your smart phone with the U-Scan
Wee’ll try to keep the toilet jokes to a minimum. Designed by Withings, a connected devices health company, the U-Scan is designed to be a versatile platform consisting of a pebble-shaped reader, which you plop into your bowl containing changeable analysis cartridges designed to assess your sample.
This, rich, golden stream of data is then synced to the Withings Health Mate providing a t list of actionable insights based on daily readings. It includes a nutrition and metabolic urine tracker, checks pH, ketone, vitamin C levels, and more.
The U-Scan claims it can even differentiate between your sample and that of any guests, based on various factors like distance and speed of the flow.
If you do decide to purchase, urine for a lot of data either way [enough now – Ed.].
3 Cant stop the Blok
Billed as the Pelton of the kitchen [excuse me whilst I throw up in my mouth a little]. It’s a chopping ”Blok‘ with a smart screen. Yep, that’s it.
Consisting of a high quality digital display embedded into a walnut woodchopping board, paired with a docking station it’s purpose is to stream live and on-demand cooking classes to you. There’s also a companion smartphone app [of course there is], used to control the digital elements of the board. It’s also $699 (£580) and then a subscription of $390 (£322) per year or $39 (£32) per month.
Yes, so over $1000 to use a digital smart chopping block. I’ll leave it with you to see if you think it makes the ‘cut’.
4. Take your baby for a spin with the Ella Smart Stroller
Have a new small in your life? Want a stroller? Can’t be bothered to push it yourself? Then the Ella Smart stroller from Gluxkind is for you!
Classed as the ‘smart travel system to support your family from birth and for years to come.’ the Ella has AI to allow for adaptive push and braking assistance and hands free strolling which can avoid obstacles. It also offers offers baby soothing features like Rock-My-Baby mode to help the little ones stay asleep or built in white noise playback.
They do make a point of stating the ‘hands free mode is only for when your child is not in the stroller and the stroller is unoccupied, so it cant stroll off on it’s own with your precious cargo inside.
5. I’m sorry Dave, I can’t let you bake that – Samsung Bespoke AI Oven
Because to hasten the inevitable robotic uprising we need to add AI to EVERYTHING, Samsung have thought it fit to add AI to an oven. It comes with a 7″ display, push to open (rather than a handle to hang your tea towel off, and social media, so you can one up those ‘sent from my Samsung Smart Fridge’ tweeters.
It also comes with smart AI cooking, and a camera so you can livestream your soufflé on twitch. The ‘AI’ camera can detect what you’re making and suggest optimal cooking settings if it recognizes what you’re making, Samsung says. Moreover, it can send you warning notifications to prevent your food from burning. You can keep an eye on your food using the screen or the SmartThings app (which you can use to control the oven remotely).
Also, it has Samsung Health integration and can analyse workout stats and diet goals based on the ingredients you have on hand
The best scholarship of the Millennium
Fancy an undergraduate degree at Birmingham City University in STEM? Do you want to design bridges, produce the next wicked soundtrack, film or design the next best selling video game?
Then Millennium Point have the scholarship for you!
Millennium Point Trust is committed to growing STEM talent in the West Midlands and for the past few years have been funding a undergrad scholarship for students in the STEM field.
The winner will get undergraduate degree from BCU’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment funded.
But it’s not just about the winning, if you’re a finalist you will be invited to participate in developmental workshops that will focus on supporting your personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills, and provide networking access to some of Birmingham’s best and brightest in STEM.
Applications are open to those who live in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom, will be 18 by September 2023 and and looking to start an undergraduate degree.
You’ll need to meet the below criteria:
- You live in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom
- You are 18 by, and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2022..
- You do not already have an undergraduate or above qualification.
- You are not currently studying an undergraduate or above qualification.
- You meet the entry requirements for your chosen course – you can find this out on the BCU website.
For the full list of courses to apply visit the link below. Applications are open until 17th March 2023.
https://www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/trust/scholarship/
That’s it for this round of tech. And again If you want to send any local tech articles over, feel free to reach out to me at ryan@geekybrummie.com.
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