Turning on your TV in the blink of an eye or going skiing in town was possible this week at CES, the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, thanks to connected accessories that give superpowers to their users .
Non-exhaustive review of prototypes to be worn from head to toe.
Telekinesis to the ears
“With these earbuds, you can control your computer, mouse, keyboard, video games…. », Promises Zavier Alexander, product director of Naqi Logix. “We even managed to fly a 737 in a flight simulator.” The Canadian company has developed sensors that detect electrical impulses from facial muscles.
“So far we detect the raising of the eyebrows, the blinking of the eyes, the opening and closing of the mouth. I love the jaw flexion, because it’s very subtle,” he continues. The founder of the start-up initially wanted to help a paralyzed friend be able to play video games again. It is now looking for headphone manufacturers willing to integrate its technology.
Cinema in glasses
Xreal’s augmented reality glasses are barely bulkier than regular glasses, but they contain a large screen and enough speakers to watch a movie without going to the cinema. “It’s perfect in the car or on the train,” assures Ralph Jodice, communications manager for the Chinese company.
“It also works for work, in the office or at home, you wear these glasses and you have three virtual screens that float in space. » Sensors also make it possible to track hand movements, and therefore create virtual 3D applications. The different models cost between $400 and $700.
Speak silently
“The voice does not come out and the noise does not come in,” summarizes Stéphane Hersen, founder of Skyted, during the presentation of his silent mask for 250 euros.
Similar in shape to a large surgical mask, the device absorbs sounds and connects to the telephone or computer to make “silent and confidential calls in any circumstance”, indicates the French boss. When he worked at Airbus, he was asked to “find a way to get 300 passengers to make a call on the plane without starting a fight.”
This is how the concept was born, but it might not have seen the light of day without Covid, which got us used to masks. Above all, explains Stéphane Hersen, “we can no longer stand the noise of others”, especially at work.
Eyes in the back
“I worked in prisons for 13 years. One day I was attacked from behind and suffered a brain injury,” says Sean Siembab, the founder of Simstechnology. “During rehabilitation, I was walking on a cycle path, and I was hit by a cyclist. There I said to myself that we had to invent something,” he continues. This is how this American entrepreneur developed a connected accessory to clip on the back, which alerts its user when a person approaches less than 7 meters behind them, and films.
“You have time to turn around, press the SOS button which alerts your loved ones and defend yourself,” he explains. Following the same logic, the Dutch start-up SlimDesign has developed PhoneCam, a mini camera to wear in front of you, with a button to sound the alarm. “Our founder was robbed in a park, and the police knew the perpetrator, but they closed the case due to lack of evidence,” relates Cedric van de Geer, SlimDesign engineer.
Run while walking
Shift Robotics presented its Moonwalkers X at CES, the second version of its shoes which are used to cover more distance, faster, without walking faster. They look like big roller sandals and are worn over sneakers, “but they’re not roller skates. They are not freewheeling. If you stop walking, they stop too,” insists David Politis, marketing director. The user has the impression of walking with slightly bulky shoes, but with increased power.
“Ikea believes that its employees who use Moonwalkers will save 400 hours per year,” mentions David Politis. Skwheel’s electric skis seek to reproduce the sporty sensations of skiing. Manufactured by a Norman start-up, they are aimed at enthusiasts who want to ski on the road or on the beach, go to work with a pleasant sensation and also winter sports stores, to offer them for rental in the summer.