Las Vegas — CES also known as the Consumer Electronics Show returned to several venues across Las Vegas last week. Here are some of the hottest new technologies I spotted during my visit:
Altifarm introduced me to their Pico smart planters for use inside the home or office. Pico grows with your plant and waters them by themself. It’s LED grow lights provide plants with the sun’s energy. Don’t worry about plugging it in. Pico is the worlds first battery powered smart planter.
“Pico is a magnetic planter which attaches to the side of a refrigerator and helps you grow on the outside of it,” said Arun Raj, founder and CEO of Altifarm. “Its got automated lighting which works with USB-C. Its got self watering which means there is no guesswork about watering or lighting. Pico was a huge success on Kickstarter. It raised a little more than $2 million. We followed that up with Pico Max, a bigger and smarter option with a bigger battery. We just launched Cura which is a bigger lighting platform which can support any plant indoors. You don’t need to push plants to the window. It also has a pump in the middle which lets you do programmable automated watering.”
You may have seen Benjilock on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” Founder Robbie Cabral showed off the entire line of smart padlocks at CES. Benjilocks can be unlocked with a touch of your finger but you can also use a key in case the battery runs out. They come in a variety of styles and colors including some that are TSA approved for travel.
“They’re all different colors but in reality it’s just different ways of usage,” Cabral explained. “If you are traveling with this lock, they are going to cut it. This lock they won’t cut because TSA agents have the key for this. That’s the beauty of it. It’s perfect for the traveler, explorer and all of that. The small lock is meant for sport but it’s also accessibility. Let’s say people with hearing impaired or vision, the lock itself gives you a sound so you are able to set it up the way you want to. The original lock for your gym locker and gates, it’s fingerprint but also key. The battery is rechargeable, micro USB and it lasts six months up to a year depending on how many times you use it.”
Daan Tech showed off tiny dishwashers called Bob. It’s perfect for singles who live in apartments or condos. Bob can wash and dry a small load of dishes in just 20 minutes! It only uses less than a gallon of water per load. The dishwasher comes with a detergent cassette good for 30 loads or it can also use popular dish pods. The Bob Minimalist model is priced at $299 in black or white and the Bob Custom comes in 24 colors with added features for $399.
“Bob is essentially an autonomous dishwasher,” said Abigail McBride, North American marketing for Daan Tech. “It’s a countertop dishwasher that needs an electrical plugin. You can pour water into the top and drain into a sink. He’s been in development for about six years and we’ve been selling in Europe for a year and a half. We’re moving to the American market so we’re excited to be here at CES. It works the same as a regular dishwasher. It takes water at the top and has its own heating system. It’s fully compact for smaller apartments and office spaces.”
French based startup Moon Bikes introduced me to the world’s first electric snow bike. It has a battery that lasts either 1.5 hours or 3 hours depending on the model you choose. Each bike features a top speed of 26 mph. Moon Bikes are three times lighter than a snowmobile. Pricing starts at $8,500.
“Floating around the snow is super easy and very fun,” said Nicholas Duperret, sales operations at Moon Bikes.
Canon introduced their all-new RF5.2 mm Dual Fisheye Lens for capturing Stereoscopic 3D 180-degree virtual reality imaging. This new lens eliminates the need for using two or three cameras —- it can all be done using just one. Attendees are viewing these images on Oculus VR headsets.
South Korean company Bodyfriend debuted their new massage chairs at CES. The new Phantom Rovo is a robot-type massage chair that is operated independently by both leg massagers.
LG’s booth was pretty empty at this year’s CES likely due to the rise in Covid-19 cases around the world. Their display consisted of QR codes to view their products online. LG did have a few smart speakers on display however.
For more info about Altifarm Pico smart planters, visit www.altifarm.com
For more info about Benjilock smart padlocks, visit www.benjilock.com
For more info about Bob tiny dishwashers, visit www.daan.tech.
Stay with AmericaJR for more coverage from CES 2022….
Abigail McBride, North American marketing for Daan Tech, told me about Bob dishwashers 
Nicholas Duperret, sales operations at Moon Bikes, told me about the world’s first electric snowlike. 
Arun Raj, founder and CEO of Altifarm, told me about his Pico smart planters