Companies showcased more than 20,000 new products at CES this year, covering everything from smartphones to wearables to robots. It was clear that the future of tech was already here.
However, to actually be a hit with consumers, you've got to offer a lot more than just a good idea. Your product has to be unique, affordable and fill a need in the average person's life. It can't just be cool; it's also got to be useful.
These five products achieve all of that and more. By the time next year's CES rolls around, we'll still be talking about these gamechangers.
1. Seymour from Honeywell Life Care Solutions
Digital health technology took over much of the showroom floor at International CES, but Seymour, Honeywell Life Care Solution's specific digital health platform, stuck out. Designed to help families work towards bettering their health, communicating more effectively and efficiently with their primary care providers, and making better life decisions, Seymour is seamless, easy to use, accurate, and provides data that's not just interesting, but also meaningful.
If there's one thing people love in this world, it's their pet. So a product that will not only help people take better care of their pets but also make it a whole lot easier has huge potential. The PetNet SmartFeeder was one of the most innovative and truly useful devices we saw at CES this year. Just plug in your pet's specifications, such as age, weight and level of activity, into the SmartFeeder app, and it will automatically serve your pet a perfectly portioned meal during scheduled feeding times. The coolest part about the SmartFeeder is that it automatically tracks your pet's food inventory and orders more food when you're out, which is also matched to your pet's specific needs, to have it delivered right to your door. By serving just the right amount of food that your pet needs, it'll make your wallet healthier and, most importantly, your pet, too.
3. Ampstrip
FitLinxx Ampstrip takes the word "wearable" seriously. A heart rate monitor meant to provide accurate and timely biometric data so you can track the most important measurement of your activity, Ampstrip seamlessly integrates into your routine without cumbersome wires and gadgetry. It's comfortable and convenient without sacrificing accuracy and precision.
Eye tracking is nothing new, but in the next few years, it's going to enter the consumer market in a big way. The Eye Tribe Tracker is the device that's going to get it there. The Danish company introduced its Android eye tracking software development kit and new TV tracker at CES, both of which have enormous potential to change how we watch TV, play games and use our mobile devices. We tried out the TV Tracker at CES, and though it will take some getting used to holding your head in the exact right position to navigate between entertainment apps, it's going to be so much easier to just look at the Netflix icon on your smart TV and select the option on your controller than pointing your remote at the TV the old-fashioned way in the long-run. This device also has enormous implications for people with disabilities. Just as touch has revolutionized how we use technology, eye tracking is going to be the next big thing.
Anyone who has desperately searched for an outlet to plug in devices while on the go should be very excited about the Ampl SmartBackpack. This sleek backpack comes with a Lithium Polymer SmartBattery to charge your smartphone on the go with seven USB plugs. You can also add on up to three more batteries to charge larger devices, like laptops and tablets. There's also a mobile app that you can connect your backpack to in order to monitor charge levels and receive an alert if you leave your bag somewhere. And if you think with all that inside this bag has to be super heavy, think again. It's really not anymore cumbersome than a regular backpack. As our reliance on mobile technology grows, we're going to see mobile batteries integrated more into what we wear everyday, and the Ampl SmartBackpack is going to be one of the first to be hugely successful at that.
