Important Innovations

  Flying Car To Be Showcased at CES                                                   Source:  ASKA EV Can Take Off From & Land in Your Driveway ASKA's Drive and Fly eVTOL is one of the world's most anticipated and promising flying cars.  Next week at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, San Francisco startup ASKA will unveil full scale models of the interior and dashboard of the electric, vertical takeoff and landing flying car.  The purpose is to give people a sense of what it will feel and look like flying and driving ASKA. A smaller scale model of the entire flying car will also be unveiled.  The vehicle can drive on the road and fly autonomously in the sky.  It is designed to be a personal flying car for commuting everyday back and forth to work.  It can take off and land from your driveway.  No airport is needed. Flying Cars Drive and Fly is a 4-seat flying car with top speeds of 150 mph and a range of 250 miles.  It is pricey with a signature limi

  Airthings Wave Sensor                                                       Source:  Airthings Virus Alerts At the CES 2021 virtual show in Las Vegas this week, a number of innovative products are rolling out to fight COVID-19, which spreads through the air.  For example, Airthings Wave sensors were just unveiled.  The sensor tracks atmospheric conditions necessary for the virus to transmit.  The Wave Plus for workplaces tracks CO2 levels, humidity and temperatures.  It alerts the office manager to make adjustments to the room to prevent transmission of viral pathogens like COVID. Wave Mini The Wave Mini is for use in the home.  It focuses on risk factors for mold and is expected to be adapted for tracking viral transmission.  These gadgets are very creative ways to monitor the air that we are breathing.  In the future, they are likely to be incorporated into air purifiers to both monitor and clean the air of pathogens like COVID.

Plans for Ford Autonomous Vehicles with Digit Robots Delivering Packages Source:  Agility Robotics Ford Purchases Digits Digit is a 5 foot tall, 2-legged robot invented by Agility Robotics.  Digit walked around the 2020 CES trade show in Las Vegas this week taking bows.  It should be proud of itself. Ford became the first customer to purchase Digits and it has big plans for them. AV + Digit Plans Ford says the initial plans is to deploy Digits for research and development.  But the goal is to employ Digits as part of a new package-delivery service driven by Ford autonomous vehicle.  Digits would be on board to deliver the package to the owner's door. Agility Robotics Agility Robotics was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Albany, Oregon.  It makes advanced bi-pedal robots with human-like capabilities for diverse markets including logistics/delivery, telepresence and automated inspections.  The company says it will start delivering Digits to customers i

CES 2020 Show Stopper:  Sony's Concept E-Ca r Source:  Sony Sony's Vision-S Sony is the big surprise at the annual global, consumer electronics trade show CES 2020 in Las Vegas this week.  Sony announced a real, working Sony electric car that's loaded with Sony technology.  It's Sony's vision of the future of driving.  The EV is a concept-prototype that offers an awesome ride.  Sony has no immediate plans yet to move it into mass production.  But it is an electric, very high tech ride that's ready to go. Sony Tech The technological concepts in the Vision-S are exciting.  On the dashboard, touchscreens in the middle and in front of the passenger seat, allow the driver and passenger to access all the media controls like music, movies, vehicle settings and more.  Also, there is a series of rectangular displays that span the entire dashboard and user interfaces. For rear seat passengers, there are seatback touchscreens. There are also advanced speaker

Just Unveiled at CES 2020 Source:  Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold:  New Innovation 4 Years in the Making Lenovo just unveiled at CES 2020 its ThinkPad X1 Fold, a foldable PC that has been developed over the past four years. This is Lenovo's first foldable screen PC.  Lenovo says it's ready to launch and the starting price is $2,499 with its folding OLED display.  It's particularly targeted at businesses to provide employees more mobility options.  Lenovo offered a fascinating example of use:  live videoconferencing on the top of the screen and using a pen to take notes on the bottom of the screen. Launches in 2020 The foldable PC, which weighs just 2.2 pounds & is extraordinarily thin when folded, will be launched in the second half of 2020.  It can be ordered in early summer and will ship in early September.  Among some key points about the new device: Multiple operational modes including going fully flat as a 13.3 inch display, which is standard for

Next-G Refrigerator With Internal Cameras & AI Tracking Your Food Samsung's Highly Intelligent Refrigerator Samsung's Family Hub Fridge This is the next generation in highly intelligent, functional refrigerators.  And, it's nothing like your Mom's refrigerator.  Samsung Electronics has incorporated advanced AI and internal cameras, plus other advanced technology, into the new, Family Hub fridge that it's going to unveil at the CES in Las Vegas next week.  The array of advanced technology and functionality is very impressive.  It brings a whole new level of intelligence and meaning to a fridge. Monitors Food Inventory, Generates Meal Planning Using the cameras and advanced AI, the fridge monitors the food inventory, spots changes, updates you on what's been added and depleted and creates a shopping list of what's needed at the supermarket.  It has a Quick Plan function to recommend meals for the week to save money and cut food waste.  The meal

Small Home and Office Water Generator Source:  Watergen's GENNY GENNY By 2025, 2/3rds of the world will face drinking water shortages.  Watergen, based in Israel, says it has a solution.  GENNY is a small home and office water generator.  It can produce up to 8 gallons of clean drinking water a day from the humidity in the air. Tech for a Better World At the CES 2019, the company won the prestigious Tech for a Better World award for GENNY.  Watergen says it is revolutionizing the way water is delivered around the world by pulling it out of thin air.  Watergen is expanding operations into the US where it plans to open three manufacturing facilities.

KitchenAid Smart Display - First Timer at CES 2019  KitchenAid SmartDisplay Getting a Lot of Interest This smart display comes from a surprising source - KitchenAid.  But they have created technology innovations in home appliances for many years. KitchenAid is owned by Whirlpool that owns  another innovation company Yummly.  Their new Smart Display takes all of that new tech to a new level.  They've innovated a smart looking, voice activated touchscreen that has the Google Assistant onboard as well as Yummly app. Smarthome Display The ten inch display is water resistant and ready for kitchen duty.  It's due out in the second half of 2019 and the pricing is expected to be from the $200. to $300 range. Use by Voice Command Through Google Assistant You can use the screen for many purposes like controlling your smart home gadgets, making video calls, doing search, watching videos, listening to music, all by your voice commands through Google Assistant. MultiTasker &

RoboDogs on Duty with Package Deliveries Source:  ANYmal by ANYbotics ANYmal, the Swiss-German Autonomous, Robotic Delivery System, Wows at CES 2019 The future of food and package delivery has major robotic and autonomous components.  There's a new system that is a collaborative project between German automotive company Continental and Swiss robotics company ANYbotics that wowed CES 2019. Dogs Deliver It is a robodog ANYmal and its autonomous car CUbE that drive to your home and unpacks robodog. ANYmal goes up your stairs, rings the doorbell with its paw and leaves your package, taking off with a little high-5 for itself.  For a great news blog on this emerging robotic innovation go to Important Innovations Collection: Deliveries by RoboDogs : ANYmal Delivery Robot Source:  ANYmal Delivery Robot Robots Delivering It's a 4 legged delivery robot that can walk packages ri...

Thin, Flexible, Roll-able Display Screens LG Signature OLED TV R LG is a dominator in OLED television and it has just unveiled an innovative concept.  It's called the LG Signature OLED TV R.  It's a roll-able display thanks to its thinness and flexibility. Press a Button and Screen Unfolds in Seconds When you press a button, in ten seconds, a flat, 65 inch, 4K television unfolds.  When secured in its aluminum base, the container looks like a large speaker or metal coffee table.  This innovative concept has been named by PC Magazine as the Best TV of the Consumer Electronics Show 2019.  The reason:  its dexterous roll-up ability and the vivid colors and contrast that OLED delivers.  For more news stories on exciting innovation, go to  amazon.com/author/ekane

Multi-tasking Health Care Robot from Samsung Source: Samsung's New Health Care Robot Assistant For Patients New Robot with Functionality and Friendliness  Samsung, the Japanese giant electronics company, just unveiled a robot to assist patients in need of health care monitoring and other patient needs.  It's being hailed as friendly with great functionality for patients and their families.  It can monitor biometrics like blood pressure and heart rates, prompt the patient to take their medicine and even serve as a companion when the patient needs someone to   communicate with. To learn about this great new and developing piece of robotic innovation, go to my journalist colleague Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: Samsung Robot for Your Health : Bot Care-Giving from Samsung Source:  Samsung's Healthcare Bot Innovative Robotics Samsung has just unveiled may be the wo...  and to see his news stories on innovation, go to  amazon.com/author/

Nubia's Red Magic Mars Smartphone Source:  Nubia PC Magazine Top Phone Pick at CES 2019 China based Nubia is committed to retailing its Red Magic Mars Smartphone in the US and North America in the first quarter of 2019.  The price is $399 and PC magazine calls it great tech and great value.  The magazine says it performs as well as $700 competitors. For a great news blog on the China smartphone, go to Important Innovations Collection: China's Very Smartphone : Nubia's Red Magic Mars Smartphone Source:  Nubia Red Magic Mars Coming to US 2019 The Nubia Red Magic Mars is being called grea...

NordicTrack Virtual Reality Exercise Bike Source:  NordicTrack Bike and Headset in Sync NordicTrack just unveiled their VR Bike at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.  It's a brand new approach to exercise.  While you're burning off calories on the bike, your mind is engaged in Virtual Reality gameplay coming in on the headset.  And, the bike and headset are in sync, meaning if your watching an object going uphill, the bike will match it and you'll be peddling uphill.  For a great news blog on this new piece of exercise innovation, go to my journalist colleague Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: Exercising with Virtual Reality : NordicTrack's VR Bike Source:  NordicTrack VR Cycling This exercise bike was just unveiled by NordicTrack at the Consumer Electr...

Television Tech Reinvented Source:  Samsung's 98" QLED TV Samsung Concept TV's Under Development At the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas, some extraordinary advancements in television tech innovation have been unveiled.  They include 98" 8K QLED TV and highly advanced screens of changing size and shape for a 75" 4K microLED TV.  These are prototype systems just unveiled and under development.  But they are a TV view into the future of television viewing. For a great news blog on the latest innovation, go to Important Innovations Collection: Television Innovation Unveiled : Samsung's Giant, Vibrant Screens Source:  Samsung 98 " QLEDTV TV Like You've Never Seen Before Samsung has unveiled a ...

Mission Impossible - Impossible Burger 2.0 Wins CES 2019 Top Innovation Award Source:  Impossible Foods' Impossible Burger  Ushers in 2019 as The Year of the Vegan This innovation "best in class" news story absolutely sizzles.  A humble vegan burger, that has been perfected by a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and his team at Impossible Foods, has just won best in class at the global 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  The competition includes 4,400 other great innovations across global industries.  The Economist nailed this year as "The Year of the Vegan".  CES just awarded the perfect vegan burger.  For a news blog on this, go to my colleague journalist Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: CES Top Prize - Impossible Burger : Vegan Burger  Top CES Innovation Prize : "Triumph for Food Engineering" Source Impossible Foods' Impossible Burger Impo...

Concept Vehicle for People or Cargo Source:  Mercedes Benz German Precision Engineering Mercedes Benz calls it the Vision Urbanetic.   The vehicle is autonomous, electric and unique.  It's designed to move either people or cargo, but not both together. People Mover or Cargo Mover Urbanetic runs on batteries and can operate autonomously.  There are interchangeable modules that go on top of the vehicle to transport either people or cargo.  The modules can be changed in a few minutes.  The people mover can accommodate 12 passengers.  There are 2 levels of seats, arranged in a circle. Loaded with Tech This concept vehicle is loaded with tech.  For instance, it spots pedestrians before they step off the curb into the street.  It's also connected to real-time traffic reports.  At the moment, MB doesn't have plans to bring it to market, but it is one of the most intriguing modes of travel innovation presented yet.  The vehicle was showcased by Mercedes at the Con

CES Innovation Award Winner - AI Pet Bowl Source:  Volta and Pet Electronics of New York Innovation Machine that Caters to Your Pe t As a dog lover, I'm fascinated by this innovation for my German Shorthaired Pointer Rudi aka Snookie.  He's just 1 years old, athletic and thin but a foodie.  The new innovation is called Mookkie and it's been produced by the Italian Tech company Volta.  It's a pet feeder with AI intelligence that recognizes each of your pets' faces and feeds them accordingly. My other pet is Biddie, a 6 year old Smooth Fox Terrier who is another foodie and a terrier about it. This AI pet bowl feeder just received the CES Innovation Award in the Smart Homes Category.  Sounds interesting. Right Portions This device gives each pet the right amount of food.  It works for dogs, cats and pets with special dietary conditions and needs. It's an innovation standout at CES 2019.  It's going to be launched in September 2019 at a price of $189

Japanese Innovation and Ingenuity Combining Flying and Driving Vehicles Source:  Cartivator's Skydrive Volunteer Team "Cartivator" Behind Skydrive This week in Las Vegas at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show, flying cars will be taking center stage.  There is a standout vehicle concept debuting from Japan for a number of reasons. The design is extraordinary, the volunteer team behind it crowdsourced their funding which now includes Toyota, they have a great business plan and the team and Toyota want to use the Skydrive to light the flame and start the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.  For a great news blog on this, go to  Important Innovations Collection: Japanese Flying Car - The Skydrive : Crowdfunded, Toyota-backed, Volunteer Team Building a Flying Car Source:  Cartivator's Concept Flying Car Skydrive Cartivator Inn...