Will these nine gadgets improve your life?
- Cute, stuffed animal robot that nibbles on your finger;
- Kinetic “Breathing” PC Case;
- Instant temporary tattoo;
- The Motion Pillow;
- Liteshield for boxers;
- UV-C disinfection for your keyboard;
- Smart bath technology;
- Leo’s Loo Too for cats;
- Bob the Mini Dishwasher.
They were all on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this year after the influential tech show returned to Las Vegas after a COVID-19 hiatus.
Let’s take a look at some of the items on offer. We’ll have another batch of devices to examine next week.
Cute, stuffed animal robot that nibbles on your finger
Are your fingers deprived of sensor input?
Amagami Ham Ham, developed by robotics startup Yukai Engineering, will nibble on your finger. The cute little robot has an algorithm called a “Hamgorithm” that selects one of two dozen nibbling patterns, so you’ll never be sure exactly what you’ll feel when you shove your finger into the robot’s mouth.
Yukai designed the patterns, which include Tasting Ham, Massaging Ham and Suction Ham, to replicate the feeling of a baby or pet nibbling on your finger.
I hope this ridiculous gadget adds joy to someone’s life.
Buy Amagami Ham Ham here.
Kinetic ‘Breathing’ PC Case
Are you worried that overheating may damage your PC?
CyberPowerPC showed off a new concept PC case named Kinetic. It’s a full Advanced Technology eXtended (ATX) desktop case with an intelligent ventilation system on the front.
The Kinetic case features 18 individually controlled vents that open and close based on the system’s current internal temperature. The case samples the system’s temperature every five seconds and closes or opens the vents as needed.
The Kinetic case seems to be a gadget in search of a problem. Notice how billions of PCs are performing well without it.
Buy the Kinetic case here.
Instant temporary tattoo
Are you spending too much time driving to and from your neighbourhood tattoo parlour?
To instantly meet your tattoo needs, Prinker’s app and Prinker solve this problem. First, choose from a library of thousands of tattoos or create your own design. Then send the design to the Prinker. Finally, roll the Prinker along your body to apply the tattoo.
I hope the Prinker solves urgent tattoo anxiety for someone.
Buy the Prinker here.
The Motion Pillow
Are you losing sleep because you or someone else is snoring in the bedroom?
The Motion Pillow from 10minds listens to your sleeping sounds in a non-creepy way to detect snoring. If you’re snoring, the pillow gently inflates one of four airbags inside the pillow to move your head to a position that reduces or stops snoring without disturbing your sleep or anyone else’s.
Sleep is essential for all of us. The Motion Pillow’s limited capability appears unlikely to improve sleep significantly.
Buy the Motion Pillow 3 here.
Liteshield for boxers
Are you bored with your lame workout routine?
With the Liteshield from Liteboxer, you can add excitement to your boxing workouts while building strength and endurance. The package includes the punching unit, wall mount, gloves, wraps, mat and exercise tracking software for your iPad.
Will the Liteboxer really add variety to your workout with its limited focus on boxing?
Buy the Liteshield here.
UV-C disinfection for your keyboard
Is the plethora of hidden microbes on your keyboard about to invade your body?
The Targus UV-C LED Disinfection Light exists to eliminate those pesky microbes. This accessory sanitizes your keyboard and mouse when you’re not using them. Thanks to its motion sensors, it will shut off so you won’t tan your fingers.
The Disinfection Light case also seems to be a gadget searching for a significant problem. Notice that billions of workstations are performing well without it and haven’t made anyone sick.
Smart bath technology
Are you tired of watching and waiting for your bathtub to fill at the end of the day?
Perhaps you haven’t considered it an issue, but Kohler has announced new “PerfectFill Smart Bathing” technology that will let you preset your preferences (and your kids’ or partner’s) for bath temperature and fill levels. Later you can draw a bath with a voice command. Just make sure the clutter of children’s bath toys has been removed.
The time to fill a bathtub is short. Without the Smart Bathing gadget, I have yet to overfill one in many years. Besides, when was the last time you took a bath instead of a shower?
Pre-order Smart Bathing here.
Leo’s Loo Too for cats
Are you struggling to monitor your cat’s bowel movements?
Cat experts have warned me that you lose the ability to see how much your cats go to the bathroom with automatic litter boxes. This data point offers insights into possible illnesses. The Smarty Pear Leo’s Loo Too solves this problem with a sensor-laden litter box connected to an app. Now you can track your cat’s weight and how often they go.
This product is an over-the-top solution to a small problem, even for dedicated cat lovers.
Buy the Leo’s Loo Too here.
Bob the Mini Dishwasher
Has food waste fossilized on your dirty dishes before your dishwasher is packed full and ready to wash?
Then Bob, the Mini Dishwasher from Daan Tech, may be right for you. The Wi-Fi-connected, microwave-sized dishwasher sits easily on your kitchen counter. It can wash dinner dishes for two or a day’s worth of dishes for one using the one-gallon integrated water tank. The Mini Dishwasher doesn’t have to attach to a water supply. The wash cycle is a super-fast 20 minutes.
Our household’s last need is yet another appliance to add clutter to the kitchen. Our dishwasher is fit for purpose. Perhaps this product is helpful for the tight space of an RV.
Preorder Bob the Mini Dishwasher here.
Yogi Schulz has over 40 years of information technology experience in various industries. Yogi works extensively in the petroleum industry. He manages projects that arise from changes in business requirements, the need to leverage technology opportunities, and mergers. His specialties include IT strategy, web strategy and project management.
Yogi is a Troy Media Thought Leader. For interview requests, click here.
The opinions expressed by our columnists and contributors are theirs alone and do not inherently or expressly reflect the views of our publication.
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