CES: A future that is now, here.

CES, touted as one of the major technology events of the year, attracts tech enthusiasts from all over to be the first to witness the latest shifts in technology. While about 3900 exhibitors showcased products of every kind this year, the key highlight was automation.  From self-sufficient smart home technologies to robots, CES painted a future full of possibilities.

Here are the top 4 picks from this year:

  1. Voice assistants: Voice assistants first exploded on the scene in 2011 with Apple introducing Siri and has only grown since then. Virtual assistants are defined as a chat agent or software that adheres to voice or text-based commands. The evolving technology has garnered a fair bit of attention and it was quite clear that voice assistants are the way forward.  With Siri, Alexa and Google making their mark as virtual assistants, it is no surprise that the next generation of devices from toasters to cars are equipped with voice assistance.
  2. Smart cities: The dramatic shift in the technology landscape has cities into becoming more connected. At CES, smart cities and urban planning took centerstage with various topics like partnerships, governance, innovative financing, cybersecurity, the future of safe and clean transportation and integrating smart buildings and business ecosystem were discussed at length.
  3. Smart transport: When Google launched ‘self-driven’ cars, it changed the world’s idea of transportation of the future. ITS is a system that seeks to address information and communication technologies that can be applied in the field of road transport, including infrastructure, vehicles and users, and in traffic management and mobility management. The exhibition saw some serious contenders who offered a fresh take on the future of transportation, Chinese startup, Byton offered a  smart car concept while South Korea’s Hyundai showcased its new offering, Nexo, betting on fuel cell technology, while Toyota unveiled the concept of an autonomous box for ridesharing and retail service. Yamaha launched its concept self-driving bike called the Motobot.

The next big thing on the internet:  Internet drives businesses and technology; and it should come as no surprise that companies are seeking better and faster connectivity. Internet speeds will also help integrate new age technologies whether it is AI or VR or Robotics to the mainstream. The next step in connectivity is 5G! Given how tech innovations are internet dependent, experts predict that we will be looking at faster and better internet. In fact, companies like At&T will offer 5G services to 12 markets by the end of 2018!

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