TORONTO – Every year the International Consumer Electronics Show gives us an up close and personal look at some new gadgets from around the world; some awe-inspiring and others purely outrageous.
We aren’t talking about the 105-inch ultra HD TVs that put a whole new spin on the idea of “home theatre,” or self-driving cars that can squeeze themselves into tight parking spaces at the press of a button – no, we are talking much wackier than that.
Take, for example, a robot that cleans your barbeque, or a gadget that will nag you to go to bed earlier.
Here is a look at some of the weirdest tech gadgets at CES 2014.
Mother
Mother, created by tech maker Sen.se, is a programmable device that has your best interest in mind. Just like Mom, this smiley-faced little gadget that uses “cookies” – autonomous sensors that can detect movements, temperatures and more – to keep up on your well-being.
Mother can tell if you are neglecting your house plants, scold you about your bad teeth-brushing habits, and she can even nag you about getting more sleep.
And remember the product’s motto, “Mother’s always watching.”
Mimo wearable baby monitor
We knew wearable technology would be all the rage at this year’s event – but this item is made for the youngest of users.
The Mimo kimono can monitor an infant’s respiration, skin temperature, body position and activity level and send all of the data wirelessly – using “infant safe” low-energy Bluetooth technology – to an app where parents can keep track of health and sleep patterns.
The smart-onesie is available in sizes up to 12 months.
AcceleDent Orthodontic Treatment
Just when you thought braces were painful enough, AcceleDent orthodontics is showcasing a gadget that will help move teeth even faster.
The AcceleDent mouthpiece fits over top of the user’s existing orthodontics like a retainer and uses calibrated mircopulses to accelerate the movement of the teeth. According to the company, if worn for 20 minutes a day the technology can move teeth up to 50 per cent faster than braces alone.
We know what you’re thinking – ‘Where was this during the four torturous years of high school I sported a metal-clad mouth?’
Grillbot
Dreaming of barbeque season, but dreading cleaning your grill? Don’t worry, there’s a robot for that.
Yes, the Grillbot is a robotic grill cleaner that uses three steel brushes to rid your BBQ of any leftover food debris in just five to seven minutes.
FLIR One iPhone heat camera
Imagine you could use heat vision like the alien in Predator? FLIR Systems Inc. iPhone jacket with a built-in heat camera can make it happen.
Temperature differences show up in different colours on the screen. For instance, you can set it to show hotter things in yellow, medium-hot in red and cold in purple. The device can be used to spot leaky insulation in the house, spot lurkers in the dark, and even detect fevers on people.
Panasonic Nanoe Hair Dryer
Panasonic reminded CES attendees that technology can also help us be beautiful, while showing off its Nanoe hair dryer.
The high-tech hair tool has two nozzles – one that blows hot air, and another that generates positive ions that penetrate the hair shaft to make it shiny and soft. Though ionic hair tools have been on the market for a while, Panasonic’s new item uses positive ions that are said to hold 1,000 times more moisture.
But this kind of beauty comes at a price – the dryer will cost you US$179.
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