With virtual booths and digital portals replacing halls and showcases at convention centers, CES at the time of the coronavirus seemed different. The same happened with some of the technicians.
COVID-oriented technology products stood out at CES this year. Some brands have launched new products made for the pandemic, others have found that the items they had worked on all the time now have new applications and relevance.
But is “COVID technology” really necessary? After all, the best way to slow the spread of the virus is to practice social detachment and wear a face mask, which can be as simple as a bandana or an old reused T-shirt – strategies that are fundamentally low-tech.
“I think most of what I would have seen there was really meant to solve a real and current use case related to COVID; it wasn’t just a marketing speech, ”said Jason Cottrell, CEO of software studio and product development company MyPlanet.
MyPlanet works with companies to develop new products and study consumer attitudes towards emerging technology. Cottrell found that the strategy of many brands entering COVID technology has been to tweak, reuse or add new features to existing products, such as adding contact tracking capabilities to smartphones. Research from companies has found that consumers are not as enthusiastic about specific COVID technology in general, but have found greater utility for some futuristic products, such as autonomous delivery robots.
“Product managers and entrepreneurs were very, very actively trying to create products that could meet a market need, depending on how things were going and what people need,” said Cottrell.
There were three main categories of COVID-related technology at CES: masks with smart features or electronic additions; a multitude of disinfectants and cleansers anywhere, from an airport to your smartphone; and technology of social distance. Some are still concepts and not real products, but many you can buy now.
CES will always present what’s most ridiculous in product development – that’s part of what makes it fun. Whether “over-the-top technology” matches “pandemic” in these products is up to you.
Here’s what we saw in COVID technology at CES 2021.
‘Smart’ masks
Some masks are smarter than others.
AirPop Active + Halo
Protecting against environmental factors (like pollution or soot) and pathogens (like coronavirus), this true “smart mask” monitors your breathing and the quality of the air you’re inhaling, and even warns you when it’s time to change the filter based on its exclusive use.
On our own, the smartest of smart masks.
It will be available online this month for $ 149.99, and you can learn more about the mask and read Mashable’s interview with the company’s founder here.
Maskfone
Simple yet useful, Maskfone integrates bluetooth headsets and a microphone into a mask, which reduces the need to manipulate multiple devices and accessories at the same time.
Now, this is what you call a poisoned mask.
It’s a fabric mask with replaceable filters and you can buy it now for $ 49.99 plus a pack of 5 filters for $ 19.99.
Razer ‘Hazel Project’
Game and lifestyle equipment company Razer launched a smart mask concept called Project Hazel. It is not a real product yet, but while it is still in the R&D phase, it is very cool: it is transparent so you can see the user’s mouth, comes with voice amplification and lights up when it is dark so you can see the face of the user. person . In addition, it is enhanced with optional neon lighting effects.
The most suitable mask for CES rave, for sure.
LG PuriCare wearable air purifier
Want to use an electronic air purifier on your face? Now you can! Well, as long as you’re in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Iraq. The electronics giant LG presented a mask that comes with air purifiers, HEPA filters, a respiratory sensor (which monitors breathing) and “dual fans”. According , it will be available in more countries soon.
Airsafe Insurance
Pros: This new HEPA filter wearable lets people see your face when you speak to them through its transparent shield. Cons: it’s a shit helmet.
AirSafe says it only lets good air in.
Airsafe uses filter systems, fans and air pressure to prevent unfiltered air from entering the breathing zone. The company says that anyone interested in wearing the device can place orders through a crowdfunding campaign in February, with delivery in March or April (the price has not yet been released).
Purifiers and Sanitizers
Ultraviolet light disinfectants, stylish and portable air filters and other ways to clean your space (and yourself) were the fashion at CES 2021. There were many to list all, but here are a few that stood out.
Unipin UVC disinfection robot
For the lazy cleaning freaks among us, this is the cleaning robot of your dreams. It sanitizes surfaces and air and can intelligently plot a course in a space.
Unfortunately, its * starting price * is $ 7,500. This is more a product for industrial or commercial spaces than for home.
ClearAirZone bio-based air purifier
This company uses a “green” cleaning method that claims to protect against COVID. Instead of requiring filters (which cause waste) or chemicals, its cleaning formula combines enzymes, biotics and water to clean the environment. It is a simple and attractive device that requires only refills of this patented formula. A representative said it has not yet announced pricing information, but the company expects to be on the market this summer.
LG PuriCare ™ Mini Air Purifier
This 20 cm long air purifier is so small that it actually comes with a strap so you can wear it on your wrist. You can even control it and see the statistics using an application on your phone.
Never leave home without your custom air cleaner!
This is an air purifier, so it serves to filter allergens from the air, not pathogens like the coronavirus. However, the EPA says that an air purifier “can help reduce airborne contaminants, including viruses in a home,” although it should not be a substitute for social detachment and wearing masks. The mini filter is available for $ 199.99
Social detachment technology
Don’t get up, don’t get up, don’t be so close to me.
BioButton Covid-19 sorting solution
BiolIntelliSense says that monitoring COVID is as easy as putting a sticker on. BioButton is a room-sized sticker that can continuously monitor the user’s heart rate, temperature and respiratory rate; continuous monitoring makes it easier to spot deviations.
BioButton has a big impact on a small package.
It connects to a smartphone app, where users take a screening test every morning to ask about other symptoms. The entire system is a “medical grade wearable approved by the FDA”. Since it is about monitoring a group of people, it is not a consumer-oriented product; Interested parties can request a demonstration on the BioIntelliSense website.
Smartspace Insurance
This is another device intended for use in a community setting. The “emblem” is like a small card that can detect other cards around you. It is intended to be used in schools, retirement communities and other high density communities. It will beep if a person with a card gets too close and will also provide contact tracking information to administrators. It costs $ 99.
iWavenology iDistance
IDistance can be used as a badge, necklace or other customizable wearable to prevent people from getting too close to each other and to track interactions. He claims that his ultra-wideband signal, which the devices use to communicate with each other, is more accurate than Bluetooth. Beep Beep!
Plott Ettie temperature sensing doorbell
And you thought Doorbells were nosy! This smart Ettie doorbell from Plott can take the temperature out of whoever is at the door.
Who’s going there?
Although fever is not a surefire way to detect COVID-19, it is a symptom and a common way for companies and other organizations to examine people before entering a location. It also tracks the number of people entering a space and can notify the owner when a space reaches maximum capacity.