CES 2017 sheds light on the future of the smart home

Recently, tech experts and enthusiasts from across the globe excitedly gathered in Las Vegas to welcome the next wave of big ideas at CES 2017. And while we are only one week into the new year, the abundance of innovative gadgets suggests that we are already deep into the future.

Beyond the jaw-dropping unveilings of underwater drones modelled after manta rays and butterfly doors made entirely of glass, CES presented the most tangible version of the smart home to date. Although the concept once seemed like it borrowed too heavily from The Jetsons, the smart home is now more realistic, palpable, and desirable than ever.

As more cutting edge homeware makes its way onto the market, smart tech is leaving the confines of our hands and fastening itself to the world around us.

Here are some of the avant-garde unveilings from this year’s conference that we are most excited about:

1) 4K OLED TV

Via engadget.com

Laptop lovers had already begun to play the requiem for the television set; however, it appears that the TV will remain a household staple despite the fact that many families are choosing to cut the cord on cable in favour of streaming.

Interestingly, TVs are simultaneously getting bigger and smaller, boasting extravagantly wider displays on practically paper-thin frames.

One of the standouts of the conference was LG’s 4K OLED TV. The flatscreen has been given the moniker ‘the W’, as an homage to its wallpaper-thin physique. With its latest showstopper, LG is hoping to transform the TV watching experience, making it similar to gazing out a window or admiring a framed picture. On top of all of this, LG’s OLED can be mounted magnetically, taking the struggle and stress out of the installation process so that you can start enjoying your favourite shows almost instantly.

2) Sony VPL-VZ1000ES

Via ubergizmo.com

Let’s be honest: the five-figure price tag will surely be a turnoff for most, but if you’re in the market for a $25,000 projector, Sony’s newest innovation is definitely worth looking into.  

The VPL-VZ1000ES takes content projection to a new stratosphere by allowing you to interact with the content that you are displaying, essentially transforming the projector into a supersized tablet with a stunningly vivid display, making way for the highly-anticipated death of boring PowerPoints.

Staring at a phone screen can be incredibly isolating so the ease of beaming the VPL-VZ1000ES onto any flat surface will surely yield a more socially inclusive way of viewing and creating content.

3) Bot squad

Via roboticstrends.com

Westworld left many of us disillusioned with robots (sorry Alexa), but CES proved that they can still be of use to us and that they are even chipper to do so, unlike their distant relatives on HBO.

Whether Kuri is keeping watch of your home with its built-in security camera or Moro is folding your laundry, at this year’s conference we learned that we may one day come home to find robots completing our tasks for us, freeing us up for more cherished family time.

4) Snoo Bassinet

Via wired.com

While the idea of a robotic night nurse may seem extremely creepy, the Snoo Bassinet prioritizes comfort and safety so that babies and parents can sleep more peacefully. The bassinet mimics the sensation of being in the womb to ease babies back to sleep and comes equipped with an outfit that anchors babies to the centre of the bassinet, preventing them from rolling over and eliminating the possibility of suffocation.

5) Zeeq Pillow

Via winsucses.tk

Soon you can take your tech to bed! The Zeeq Pillow masks speakers to lull you to sleep and subtle sensors to track your movements. The sensors can detect snoring, and vibrate gently to encourage you to change your position and put a stop to snoring once and for all. The sensors may even become an aid to those with sleep apnea.

With some gadgets slated for release as early as this upcoming spring, our homes may be looking drastically different by CES 2018!