International CES unveils in NYC

The trends and items of note for next January’s show in Las Vegas

• The ‘Internet of Things’ is the phrase-du-jour–embedding anything and everything with sensors (digital elements) and blending the physical and digital worlds
• Consumer Digital Health Care was listed as #3 of CEA’s 2014 Technology Trends to Watch (PDF link). What is hot is self-tracking (1/3 of mobile users have tracked using a smartphone and tablet, and over half are now concerned about data security), integrating tech for seniors (touching on Selfhelp’s Virtual Senior Center [TTA 17 Mar 2010], remote monitoring (telehealth and telecare) including GrandCare Systems and kiosk HealthSpot Station, patient adherence, FDA approval of apps and the home as a healthcare hub.
• Robots were the #4 trend: consumer robots such as home cleaners Roomba, Ecovacs; robots in eldercare; humanoid robots like NAO; robotic prosthetics and exoskeletons.

Digital health will again be showcased as a TechZone as well as in the Digital Health Summit and SilverSummit conferences. Startups including health tech will be located in Eureka Park and later stage in Eureka Park Next. (More information at CESweb)

The press briefing was supplemented by a small show floor, very short on health tech but long on snacks and drinks. Most notable:

• Reebok’s new Checklight, which fits in a skullcap and measures impact with a simple red-yellow-green display on the athlete’s neck (red being the highest level of impact). [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Reebok-Checklight.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]This product reflects the growing concern with sports concussions, TBI and CTE. Reebok claims it can be worn with or without a helmet; this would benefit athletes who don’t wear helmets in sports such as baseball, soccer (football), rugby and lacrosse but have significant impacts and possible brain trauma. It does not currently send data via M2M but their representative told me Reebok is working on this. It was also a 2014 CES Design & Engineering Award winner.
• Tobii EyeMobile, which promises to extend computer control to eye movements. This would assist those with paralysis, amputees, nerve disease (e.g. Parkinson’s) or communication impairments which restrict or distort hand control. Drawbacks: it works solely on Windows 8, the eye control calibration is extremely difficult to set and use in areas with light or motion interference (based on my test on the show floor), and the retail pricing for the system is still well over $1,000, without reimbursement from insurance.
• 3D printing/additive technology (a previous year trend) and its use in manufacturing wearables, skin-worn sensors and medical devices such as him implants. FormLabs was showcased (literally) as one of the 2014 CES Innovations Design & Engineering Award winners for their Form 1 printer.
• For the Quantified Home, the Canary is a small wireless cylinder which can be placed on a shelf or table. It has multiple features (temperature, humidity, HD camera, night vision, power, sound and movement detection) with messages/images sent to your smartphone. Suggested price is $199 and release date July 2014.
• Digital diabetes monitor Telcare had a display and was primarily promoting its services to the physician market.

More to come in January….