A look at the most promising ideas shown this year at the Tech High Mass, from the light that helps people with dyslexia read to the solar panel that can be quickly installed on a roof.
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| [CES 2022] |
Caught up in its quest for innovation at whatever cost, the IT sector frequently loses sight of its goals. Some goods showcased at trade exhibitions, from the drone selfie to the voice triggered smart bath, to the TV dedicated to viewing its NFT, to mention a few ideas showcased this week at CES in Las Vegas.
However, amazing, exciting ideas are also emerging from R&D facilities, as seen by this selection of items, which were also introduced this week at the annual consumer electronics expo in the United States.
1. An Oceanic Battery
On a windless day, what should you do with a stationary wind turbine? The solution might be found in underwater motions. An innovative system proposes, as well as a field of wind turbines at sea, pumps water in an equipment that would thus use the natural pressure of the seabed to run electricity generators and store the energy until "we need it." Frits Bliek, CEO of the Dutch startup Ocean Grazer, told AFP, "We have found a solution that we call the oceanic battery." This battery operates by filling large pockets on the seafloor with saltwater generated by a wind turbine. When energy is required, the ocean's pressure on these pockets allows water to travel through the system, which includes turbines.
2. Mini blood glucose monitor
New therapies, more advanced pumps... Diabetes care, one of the most common chronic illnesses, has advanced significantly in recent years. Abbott, an American pharmaceutical business, takes these advancements a step further by introducing its "FreeStyle Libre 3 system," a self-monitoring glucose device. "Our teacher has already transformed the lives of approximately 3.5 million individuals in over 50 countries," the company said of its initial educators.
This third-generation device includes "the world's smallest and thinnest glucose sensor," which can be worn for up to 14 days and provides continuous, real-time glucose readings straight to the user's smartphone. It is already CE marked and will be available in Europe in the next months.
3. Assistance robot for heavy loads
Bringing a dinner tray from the kitchen to the living room can be challenging for persons who have mobility issues or chronic pain. A bizarre robot exhibited by the firm Labrador Systems may soon aid them in this work. "It's like having a second pair of hands!" » summarizes the firm.
The "Retriever," which resembles a walking bedside table, can pull food out of a refrigerator using retractable arms, transfer weights up to 11 kg on predetermined routes, and deliver them to you. up to the sofa by altering your height so that food is easily accessible. When connected to Amazon Alexa, it obeys the voice and may therefore retrieve reading glasses or medications on demand (a command that can even be programmed at specified times), provided they have previously registered their position.
4. Application to identify dogs
Many dogs are microchipped or tattooed to provide security in the case of loss or theft. However, the start-up Petnow has discovered a more straightforward approach - and one that anybody with a smartphone can use - to identify any dog. "Just like a human's fingerprint, each print on a dog's nose is unique." "Because it remains constant throughout time, it may be used to identify dogs individually," argues the Korean business.
"There's no need to be concerned about the chip becoming destroyed or lost with this approach." "The Petnow app is sufficient for checking nose prints," she explains. A simple and promising idea, but it still has to be adopted by a sufficient number of dog owners to make this "truffle identification record" full and helpful.
5. Autonomous weed identifying tractor
Manufacturers like as America's John Deere are creating a new generation of autonomous machinery for farmers who must balance workforce shortages, climate change, and environmental protection while feeding a growing global population.
You no longer need to be in the cab or even in the field with its latest equipment, which combines its famous 8R tractor, a plow, GPS, and other technology. Everything is under the farmer's control via his smartphone. The machine, which has twelve cameras and artificial intelligence capabilities, stops automatically when it detects an obstruction and transmits a notification. It can also tell the difference between plants and weeds, allowing it to focus pesticide sprays more precisely. See & Spray, an AI-based technology that was recognized at CES.
6. Airbag belt to prevent falls
Safeware's airbag belt was created to help avoid hip fractures and other injuries in the case of a fall. Following the "Smart Wearable Airbag," which was developed to safeguard those working at heights on industrial sites, the business emphasizes that this belt is aimed specifically at "high-risk populations," such as hospital patients, the elderly, the crippled, and persons with limited mobility.
Internal sensors detect abrupt movement in the case of a slip or fall, allowing the airbag to inflate in 0.2 seconds and protect the user in the hip area.
7. Nailable solar panel
To put solar panels on a roof, you must now plan the entire installation: remove the tiles from the roof, install flashings and a waterproofing system, attach rails to secure the panels, and so on. GAF Energy, a California-based start-up, claims it has discovered a simpler approach. She takes pleasure in the fact that her "Timberline Solar" solar shingles are the "first in the world to be nailing."
"A lot of businesses have developed what they term solar shingles, but they are very much the same as ordinary solar panels, just smaller in size," Martin DeBono, president of GAF Energy, told "The Verge," saying that earlier solar roofs also required rails to screw in the panels. While their shingles, he claims, can be installed "simply" in days rather than weeks like other solar installations.
8. Reading lamp for dyslexics
Finally, a French invention: a light that assists persons with dyslexia in reading. It was created by the start-up Lili for Life, which is situated in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, and is based on a finding made by two University of Rennes researchers, Albert Le Floch and Guy Ropars. What did they discover? Non-dyslexics read with one directing eye, known as the "dominant," but dyslexics have two directing eyes, which causes superimpositions of pictures and makes reading difficult for them.
From there, the startup created a lighting device that allowed it to artificially recreate a gap between the moment of perception of the picture by the two eyes, so that the images did not flow back to the brain at the same time. It has been on sale since January 3rd for 349 euros and will be advertised in stores on February 1st.