5G, AI and streaming prominent tech at CES 2020
Technology expected to make life easier for people will include robots that dispense medication, self-driving tractors for farmers and, yes, flying cars.
CES 2020 organizers outlined their vision of the future to a packed room of hundreds of media members Sunday at Mandalay Bay. The convention, one of the largest in the country, officially takes place Tuesday to Friday across 11 venues in Las Vegas.
Here are the biggest tech trends to watch in this new decade, according to the Consumer Technology Association:
5G
Steve Koenig, vice president of research for CTA, said the “internet of things” — think connected devices such as smart street lamps and wearable fitness devices — is evolving into a term he dubbed, “internet of intelligence.”
“Artificial intelligence is permeating every facet of our commerce and our culture,” he said. “We’re talking about technology’s influence on human behavior.”
And the key ingredient powering these internet-connected systems is 5G, added the association’s director of research, Lesley Rohrbaugh.
She said the organization is seeing over 50 networks worldwide adding 5G capability.
Koenig said agriculture is a good example of the commercial application of 5G citing this year’s exhibitor John Deere, which showcased connected combine harvester guided by GPS data at last year’s show.
“With 5G, how much longer before this farming equipment becomes truly automated and self-driving? Not that much longer,” he said. “Agriculture is not a sector that we readily attribute to advanced technology but those technologies are here now and they’re getting even better and more powerful.”
Artifical intelligence
Rohrbaugh outlined how artificial intelligence will power many of the innovations being showcased.
“We see AI going into televisions to smart home devices to smart lighting devices, making a more energy efficient home, also content services like predictive analytics for trying to predict what shows you might like or what music you might like,” she said.
Some of the AI-powered devices being showcased this year are 8K televisions from brands such as Samsung and LG, smart home devices such as Kohler’s Alexa-enabled smart speaker in a showerhead and facial recognition and biometric technology such fingerprint and retinal eye scanners.
The presenters also cited McDonald’s and the fast-food chain’s testing of AI voice-activated technology at its drive-thrus to speed up order-taking, thanks to the chain’s acquisition of Silicon Valley-based voice-recognition startup Apprente last year.
Streaming content
The streaming wars will continue, and attendees can expect to hear details about those services from firms such Quibi and NBCUniversal, which will be giving keynotes.
Quibi CEO Meg Whitman and founder Jeffrey Katzenberg are expected to discuss their mobile TV streaming service before it launches in April. While NBCUniversal’s chair of advertising and partnerships, Linda Yaccarino, is expected to also deliver a keynote address and discuss the company’s video streaming service Peacock, which is launching this year.
Koenig said there’s a reason these streaming wars are happening.
“These studios want to take back content, but they also want to control the interaction with their audience members and have more of a one-to-one relationship instead of licensing all that content out,” he said.
Transportation
More than 160 automotive technology companies and automakers will be showcasing at CES.
“I think that this is the electric decade for vehicles, and that’s not just cars but all types of transportation,” Koenig said.
He said innovation in everything from battery systems allowing for faster charging to electric motor innovations allowing for more powerful and faster vehicles is helping to usher in the new electric decade.
There’s also the growing popularity of scooters and self-driving vehicles, implemented by cities such as Las Vegas and its partnership with Aptiv and Lyft.
Of course, Koenig pointed out electric vertical take-off aircraft, or “flying cars.”
“This was a thing at CES 2019. There’s going to be more (air)craft like this and all of them electric,” he said.
Health
Digital health is becoming more of a lifestyle, and the trade show floor will feature more than 150 exhibitors in this space, according Rohrbaugh.
“We’re seeing it touch on every aspect of our lives,” she said. “It’s not just the relationship between a patient and their provider. You’re able to bring some of these technologies home.”
She said over a third of U.S. households own at least one wearable. She also said CES will feature health care providers who will show how they’re helping clients obtain some of these digital health products.
Contact Subrina Hudson at shudson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @SubrinaH on Twitter.