U.S. tech show highlights health and safety innovations
Equipment that can safely land a plane in an emergency and artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed to help monitor or improve our health and well-being are among the many new technologies on view at one of the world’s largest tech shows.
CES 2024, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, is sometimes called the World Series of innovation. This year it takes place January 9–12 in Las Vegas and features 4,000 exhibitors from around the world displaying new technologies that can improve our lives.
Some of this year’s devices are designed to expand digital access, diagnose or treat illnesses, assist people with disabilities, or simply make life more enjoyable. Some 130,000 industry professionals are expected to attend.
“Technology is making our world a better place to live for literally billions of people, and we are only just scratching the surface of what’s possible,” says Gary Shapiro, chief executive officer of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes the annual event.
Here are some of the technologies on display at CES 2024:
Improving flight safety
Garmin has introduced equipment that can be added to certain planes to make a safe landing if the pilot becomes incapacitated. The Olathe, Kansas-based company says the ability to retrofit its Autoland and Autothrottle technology to existing planes is “a tremendous step toward transforming the general and business aviation fleet with safety-enhancing autonomous technologies.”
Assisting vision and mobility
Cellico, of South Korea, says its EyeCane smart glasses assist people who have limited vision as a result of age-related macular degeneration. Using a camera and mobile app, the glasses display images to parts of the eye through which the wearer is able to see.
The GyroGlove helps patients with hand tremors from Parkinson’s disease or other conditions regain the use of their hands. The device was developed by U.K.-based GyroGear, founded by Dr. Faii Ong, who has conducted research at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Monitoring our health
Waycen, based in South Korea, incorporates AI in its WAYMED Cough analyzer, which allows people to screen their cough for respiratory illnesses using a smartphone.
Deciphering babies’ cries
The four-person startup Cappella, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has developed an AI tool to help parents interpret their child’s cries. The app’s AI “baby cry translator” is informed by health care professionals who care for infants in hospitals.
The app helps “a new parent figure out what the baby is saying and address that more efficiently and accurately,” says Capella founder Apolline Deroche, who developed the technology as a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.
Expanding digital access
California-based startup Augmental recently introduced its MouthPad, which allows wearers to control electronic devices with the sweep of their tongue. Designed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, others can use it as well, the company says.
The device “has the power to greatly expand digital access for everyone, not just those lacking mobility,” Augmental co-founder Corten Singer said in a statement.
Deroche, of Cappella, says that in addition to presenting, she looks forward to seeing other new technologies at the show. “It’s the Number 1 place in the world where new innovations get shown to the world,” she said. “It will put our product next to all the best innovations.”
Follow ShareAmerica for more on America’s culture of innovation and efforts by the U.S. and its partners to secure technology for a safe, prosperous future.