Attending CES changed my life. I was offered passes from a client. One of the many perks of my job. I was super excited to see the robots, fancy cars and drones that receive all the media coverage. There were plenty of all of those things. My favorite was the Star Wars Drones which drew a crowd of adults who were as excited as kids to watch these flip and soar through the air against a backdrop of old movie clips and the famous Star Wars music.
I saw robots, which I don’t quite understand. I experienced Virtual Reality Games, which make the user look ridiculous. I saw the Tesla SUV which I like, a lot, and I saw the super expensive and ugly Bentley SUV.
What I wasn’t expecting is to have a hands on experience with products that will directly affect interior selections, architecture and design. My mind was blown by Sony’s Future Lab Program. The had an amazing display of an architectural program run on an overhead projector directly to a desk surface. Using your fingertip touch you could grow a tree the the yard, or change the direction of the sunlight simulating morning or evening sun exposure. From a stacked white box that was clearly the shape of the home on the property the program could be prompted to display cross sections of the home including interior floor plans and furniture placement. It was awesome, I stayed through 3 full demonstrations. I also liked the keyboard anywhere technology and being able to project onto a wall. Both features I could see using to show clients interior concepts without having to huddle around a laptop.
TV’s just keep getting bigger, thinner, with higher resolution. The displays that are built just for the four day CES show were captivating. I found the home appliance section and felt like I had entered the Jetson’s kitchen. The absolute best thing I discovered was a countertop with built in warming that activates when you cover a plate of food with a dome. Keeping your plated meal warm until you are ready to eat. The smart Home technology is expanding so that now your home can suggest what to make for dinner simply by the ingredients you have in your refrigerator. Did I mention you can peek in your refrigerator from your phone? Never again will you buy milk when you already have it. On display were a multitude of appliances you do not see until they are lit from within. Giving the illusion of a sleek wall with no disruptions. Very cool for a kitchen with contemporary cabinetry. There was also an under counter cooktop which brought water to a boil with the sweep of a hand from two lines cut into the countertop. There was such a large crowd that I couldn’t get close enough to fully understand how the magic trick was done.
Technology shapes ideas into reality and as I learned at CES technology is taking the way we live to new and exciting places.
