The first weekend of 2023 saw 100,000 journalists and analysts attend the CES Tech Show in Las Vegas. With 3,000 exhibitors, visitors could expect to stumble upon new ideas, designs and prototypes of what could be the next big thing in tech!
Fitness, wellbeing, smart home devices and sustainability were huge themes this year. Interestingly, some of the biggest announcements and exciting developments came from the world of AR, VR and XR (extended reality).
Below, we’re going to discuss some of the most promising exhibitions from CES 2023…
Magic Leap 2
American technology company Magic Leap released their latest headset (Magic Leap 2) shortly before the CES Tech Show. With IEC 60601 certification, this headset is cleared for use in clinical settings, even in operating rooms. It allows users to view live patient data without having to divert eyes away to look at 2D screens. As well as this, it can aid delicate tasks – such as inserting a catheter into blood vessels in the heart – with a realtime 3D map overlay.
It is really exciting to see an AR device with this certification, allowing it to diagnose, monitor and treat patients. The Magic Leap 2 is the first of its kind to be granted this certification, making it a likely groundbreaking invention for augmented reality in healthcare.
Lumus
Specialising in eye-wear and head-mounted displays, Lumus wish to transform the way people interact with reality. Their latest announcement encompasses more natural looking AR lenses through the use of 2D Z-Lens technology. Both functionality and aesthetics are important for a product such as AR glasses to successfully enter the market. Smaller, lighter glasses allow users to feel and look more comfortable. The tech can also be linked with prescription lenses, meaning they can double up as prescription glasses.
It is interesting to see how many patents Lumus have applied for with this new optical tech, cementing their confidence in its success. AR glasses have historically been very bulky. It is great to see companies blurring the barrier between reality and AR through making AR glasses more wearable.
HTC Vive XR Elite
Although you probably didn’t expect to see HTC in this list, the consumer electronics company announced an exciting new headset with an all-in-one XR solution. The headset, actually more akin to goggles, has impressive specs and is adjustable and able to be modified into a smaller glasses-like device. Many see this headset as an opportunity to develop the use of the metaverse outside of fitness, gaming and work, and into more of the extended reality.
This is a really interesting development into extended realities, particularly with a device that is easily modified to suit different needs. The ‘new generation of premium headsets’ shows us how companies are adapting to consumers and responding to requirements for everyday use.
Samsung Solar Powered TV Controllers
Sustainability is an increasingly influential topic in the development of new products, and rightly so. Samsung saw an opportunity to use recycled plastic waste and aluminium cans, to create their new TV controllers. Solar power charges the controller’s battery for up to two years, making it an environmentally friendly and more economical alternative.
It is encouraging to see a huge tech company attempt to transform some of their products to be more eco-friendly. It is expected that over the next 7 years, 99 million alkaline batteries will be used. Having this solar alternative is a great opportunity to reduce the number of disposable batteries and inspire eco change for other tech.
Our Thoughts
The Magic Leap 2 is one of the more interesting announcements from the CES event, especially with its clinical accreditation. Being heavily involved in both the healthcare industry and innovative tech, we’re really excited to see how this product is used. Also used in architecture, engineering and manufacturing, it pushes the boundaries of augmented reality in enterprise.
It will be really interesting to see how some of these products are received on the market, as well as what further developments are made throughout 2023. As always it is great to see how AR and VR are prominent features of tech events and how research and development is continuously informing improvements. How much will change before CES 2024?
Keep an eye on our blog for more thoughts on this year’s tech!
