It’s not just the big tech heavyweights showing up at the world’s biggest tech conference this week. Some unexpected names and their new gadgets are also joining the party.
Driving the news: Companies you may not expect to see at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) have entered the fold with inventions that automate things like gardening and barbecuing, a sign that more mainstream consumers are warming up to “smart” products.
- Home Depot: Everyone’s favourite hardware store came out swinging with a new line of products for its growing smart home Hubspace network, including a smart gardening hose, thermostat, and bathroom fan.
- Goodyear: The tire company unveiled its newest tire made of 90% sustainable material, featuring sensors that can detect low-grip conditions like ice (a very Canadian feature) and relay the information to the car's automated driving system.
- Pawbby: Pet tech company Pawbby showed off its new self-cleaning litter box, a $935 wooden dwelling featuring deodorizing technology and a built-in pet scale that informs you if your cat is packing on some winter pounds.
- SEERGRILLS: A U.K. startup unveiled the first-ever AI-powered grill, a bulky appliance that leverages algorithms and sensors to cook what the company claims to be ‘perfect meat’ in a matter of minutes. An added bonus: You can use it inside.
What’s next: Not everyone will be lining up for an AI-powered barbecue, but Canadians are warming up to smart home tech — with roughly a quarter already owning some sort of smart home appliance. And as home gadgets become more affordable, more people are expected to buy in.—LA