Flying Taxis, Toilet Paper Robots and More at CES 2020
Revenue in the U.S. consumer tech industry is expected to grow 4% to $422 billion
By Joseph Pisani and Rachel Lerman ••
NBCUniversal, Inc.
In a bustling Las Vegas conference hall, a handpicked crop of tech innovators showed off their wares to reporters ahead of 2020’s CES tech conference.
Flying taxis and a robot that can fetch toilet paper when you're stranded on the loo were among the technologies showcased this week at the annual CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
The annual technology conference is the place for big brands and startups alike to unveil their products and services for the coming year, though larger companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft typically hold their own announcement events. Streaming services and surveillance technologies are among the hot topics. The show formally opens Tuesday following two days of media previews.
Here are some highlights:
UBER'S AERIAL RIDE
Uber and Hyundai are teaming up to build a fleet of flying taxis.
Uber, the ride-hailing giant, said its four-passenger "Uber Air Taxi" will initially be piloted, but over time will become autonomous. Uber says it wants to conduct flight demonstrations in 2020 and make such vehicles commercially available in 2023.
The goal is to help riders breeze over traffic in shared air taxis between suburbs and cities and eventually within cities. Uber plans to launch the aircraft in Dallas, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. The air taxis, which look like a cross between a helicopter and a small airplane, will be all-electric.
The air taxis are designed to take off vertically and cruise at speeds up to 200 miles (322 kilometers). They're designed to fly up to 60 miles (97 kilometers) at a time.
Hyundai is the first automotive company to join the #UberElevate initiative, bringing automotive-scale manufacturing capability and a track record of mass-producing electric vehicles. #CES2020pic.twitter.com/xmI96b6SiX
While Uber has been working on the air taxi concept for years, Hyundai brings to the project a company with experience manufacturing cars on a global scale.
The companies said Hyundai will produce and deploy the vehicles while Uber provides airspace support services and connections to ground transportation. Uber will not own the air taxis, but the aircraft will be permitted to operate as part of Uber’s transportation network.
Charmin wants to solve a familiar feeling: being stranded on the toilet with an empty toilet paper roll.
Its solution: a two-wheeled robot that can fetch a fresh roll. The robot, around 6-inches tall, has the face of a bear — like the cartoon ones in Charmin’s commercials — and toilet paper sitting on top.
But don’t expect it to roll to your bathroom anytime soon. Procter & Gamble, the company that owns Charmin, said the robot won’t be for sale and was just an example of what’s possible.
The Procter and Gamble Co. (P&G) Charmin Rollbot is displayed during a news conference at the CES 2020 event in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. The world's biggest technology companies head to Las Vegas for the annual CES trade show, with even Apple making a rare official appearance. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
"Car companies have concept cars, but P&G has concept bathrooms," said Marc Pritchard, who oversees Procter & Gamble’s brands.
The company didn’t have a working robot available at a press conference Sunday, though executives say one will be demonstrated when the show floor opens Tuesday.
SENSING WATER LEAKS
New sensors promise to stop water leaks before they ruin your home.
Monitors from Alarm.com and Flo Technologies connect to homes’ water lines and track usage. If the systems sense more water than usual is flowing through the pipes, they send an alert through their apps — after all, it could just be a long shower. But if something really seems off-kilter, the monitors will automatically shut off water.
Flo used CES to launch its newest sensor, a raindrop-shaped device that looks like a smoke alarm and can detect any water or moisture when attached to toilets, washers or other leak-prone areas. Each detector costs $50.
Another option, Phyn, makes a $299 device that hooks up to the pipes under a sink and measures changes in water pressure.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
The Huawei Mate X foldable smartphone is shown at the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 8, 2020.
David Becker/Getty Images
A model demonstrates Sublue’s White Mix Pro, a smart electric underwater scooter, during CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 8, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Attendees visit a full-scale mockup of the Bell Nexus 4EX air taxi concept at CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 8, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bell’s new fully electric air taxi concept is designed to carry four or five passengers for a distance of up to 60 miles at a speed of approximately 150 mph.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
An attendee tests out the Razer E-racing Simulator, Jan. 7, 2020, at the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. The simulator features a motorized racing seat and 128-inch curved projection screen for a professional racing training environment that maps terrain surfaces, G-force and sounds into motion according to the company. Razer hopes the simulator will help bring racing to professional esports.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Insta360 rep Hannah Wilson models the company’s Go camera, Jan. 7, 2020 at the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Insta360 Go is a tiny stabilized camera that weight less than one ounce, which can be worn as a pendant or clip onto eyeglasses.
David Becker/Getty Images
The Galaxy Fold 5G seen at the Samsung booth during CES 2020, Jan. 8, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
David McNew/AFP via Getty Images
The Segway S-Pod seen on opening day of CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 7, 2020.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Royole FlexPai foldable smartphones are displayed at CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Crave displays vibrators that double as jewelry at the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 7, 2020. Sex tech is making an appearance for the first time at CES in the health and wellness section of the giant electronics and gadget fair.
The Smacircle S1 micro-mobility e-bike seen folded on opening day of CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 7, 2020.
Whistle Labs Inc. Fit, a wearable health and fitness tracker for pets, displayed at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 7, 2020.
Bridget Bennett/Getty Images
Yukai Engineering Inc. BOCCO Emo, a communication robot, seen at CES on Jan. 7, 2020.
Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images for Amazon Devices and Services
A Lamborghini Huracan Evo, featuring Amazon Alexa, on display at the Amazon Booth during CES 2020 at The Venetian Las Vegas on Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Mercedes-Benz AG Vision AVTR concept car displayed on Jan. 6, 2020. Daimler AG CEO Ola Kallenius unveiled a flashy concept vehicle inspired by the movie “Avatar,” as the German carmaker looks forward despite pressure to cut costs.
David Becker/Getty Images
Toyota’s LQ Level 4 concept car is displayed at the Toyota booth during CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Roger Kisby/Getty Images for Amazon Devices and Services
Amazon Scout, a robot belonging to a system that autonomously delivers packages to customers, seen at Amazon After Hours during CES 2020 at The Venetian Las Vegas on Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
David Becker/Getty Images
Digit, an upright robot by Agility Robotics, demonstrates package delivery at the Ford booth during CES 2020 on Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Kim Hyun-suk, president and co-chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics Co., presents the Ballie robot at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. The Ballie is a “personal care” robot that follows its user.
Curved OLED screens seen above the LG Electronics booth during CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
John Locher/AP
The Gatebox, a voice-powered home assistant with virtual character, seen during CES Unveiled, Jan. 5, 2020, in Las Vegas. The device works like a home assistant or smart speaker, but with a virtual interactive character.
Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A model of the Hyundai Motor Co. and Uber Technologies Inc. aerial taxi sits on display at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 6, 2020.
Bridget Bennet/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A woman demonstrates the GEMS (Gait Enhancing and Motivating System) on stage at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 6, 2020.
Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Sarcos Robotics Guardian XO exoskeleton appears in a demostration for the Delta Air Lines keynote at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 7, 2020.
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The Procter and Gamble Co. Charmin Rollbot seen at CES 2020’s press event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Jan. 5, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. P&G's self-balancing robot was built to bring a roll directly to the toilet for anyone who finds themselves with an empty tube and no replacement in sight.
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The Kohler Numi 2.0 smart toilet, part of Kohler's smart bathroom collection, seen at a press event for CES 2020 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Jan. 5, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The "intelligent" toilet has Amazon Alexa built-in and features seat-warming and warm-water cleansing, among other functions.
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Lumi by Pampers, a connect care system, is displayed during a press event for CES 2020 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on Jan. 5, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The device monitors a baby’s output through a connected app.
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A Bartesian Inc. capsule cocktail machine pours out a cocktail during a press event for CES 2020 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Jan. 5, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bartesian does not come with the base spirits for a cocktail, but does pack everything else into capsules for your preferred mixed drink.
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A person wears a Safe-Tec Smart Helmet during CES Unveiled at the CES 2020 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Jan. 5, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The smart helmet is a Bluetooth-enabled bone conduction speaker and microphone that also features LED strips and brake light for safety.
TRACKING THE ELDERLY
What are your grandparents up to? Startups are pitching a way to keep an eye on the elderly from afar.
The new sensors can tell if a loved one has moved around and eaten — for instance, by detecting when the fridge is opened.
The efforts come as the U.S. government expects adults over 65 to outnumber children for the first time by 2034.
"We want to enable loved ones to live on their own," said Ryan Herd, founder of Caregiver Smart Solutions.
Caregiver's sensors tracks the elderly through motion detection, though the product can also tell if someone has showered by measuring humidity. Another company, CarePredict, has a wrist-worn device that can detect falls and alert caregivers. It also tracks how much the person has moved around and what rooms they’re spending most of their time in.
Tracking isn't cheap. CarePredict's device, for instance, costs $450, plus a $70 monthly fee.
Neither company uses cameras, so you'll need something else if you want to peer into your grandparents' homes. Just keep in mind that if you can check video on an app, so might a skilled hacker.
GADGETS FOR YOUR EAR
Nearly 67 million wireless earbuds are expected to be sold this year, according to projections by organizers of this week's CES gadget show in Las Vegas. That’s up 35% from 2019, making it one of the fastest-growing categories in consumer tech.
According to the organizers, the Consumer Technology Association, much of the growth will come from Apple’s AirPods and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, both of which play music and take calls without any wires. But others are vying for your ear canal, too. Amazon started selling its own buds late last year, and Microsoft plans to have one in 2020.
Also popular: smartwatches, fitness trackers and other devices that track and monitor your health. The CTA expects 64 million health devices to be sold this year, the first time the group has counted the category.
Smartphones and TVs will see slower growth. Both are expected to rise just 2%.
Overall, revenue in the U.S. consumer tech industry is expected to grow 4% to $422 billion, the CTA said. But the group warned that its numbers could change significantly if the trade war with China escalates or if tariffs are expanded. Much of the world's electronics are put together in China, and the CTA has said that steeper tariffs could hurt the industry by making gadgets more expensive for consumers.
AP Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz in New York contributed to this story.
