 Man's best friend goes high tech at gadget fest Las Vegas (AFP) Jan 12 - Technology is going to the dogs. And to cats and horses, for that matter, as high-end gadgetry showcased at this week's Consumer Electronics Show offered ways that smart devices can improve the lives of animals and their human friends -- starting with a good night's rest. US-based Petrics was at the show with what it billed as the first pet smart bed, capable of keeping tabs on their weight and time spent lounging. The soon-to-be-released bed cools or warms to provide comfy temperatures for naps, and synchronizes to activity trackers that monitor how much exercise they are getting so that owners get a complete daily report. An array of firms meanwhile showed off wearable devices to monitor pets on the move, aiming to consign neighborhood "lost" posters to history. Among them was Whistle, which is up to a third-generation device equipped with GPS and mobile network capabilities. Custom "safe zones" can be set up around a home and if pets wander out-of-bounds their humans will get smartphone messages allowing them to pinpoint where their pooch, or kitty, is on the map. "If your pet gets out they can be missing for hours or days," said Whistle spokesperson Heather Wajer. "You can put up posters around the neighborhood and search for them, or you can just look at your phone and see where they are." - Fido calls home - Leaving your pet behind at home can cause anxiety both for humans and their animals. While home cameras that can stream feeds via the internet have been around for some time, Petcube has improved on the basic concept by introducing "smart" elements. With the help of artificial intelligence, pets movements in front of its camera will trigger a video call to their human's phone as well as a preview "pet selfie" clip. Its device also comes with laser pointers allowing people to remotely play with their furry friends if they're getting bored, and even reward good behavior by firing off treats during calls. Petcube co-founder and chief executive Yaroslav Azhnyuk estimated that 40 million households will use connected pet devices by the year 2022. Meanwhile, startup Pebby is working on a "smart robotic ball" with built-in camera, wi-fi, Bluetooth and laser pointer capabilities, affording more opportunities to play remotely. - Taking care of kitty's business - Cleaning your feline friend's litter box is an unpleasant but necessary task, unless you (and house guests) are prepared to stomach a strong stench. Now, though, automated boxes are at hand that use sensors to detect when the animal enters and leaves the unit, before giving the litter time to clump, then sifting through it and depositing the waste into a carbon-filtered drawer. Litter-Robot sales hit new highs on Black Friday and Cyber Monday due to the release of a smartphone application that gets data about kitty's daily visits to the feline loo, according to founder Brad Baxter. When animals left home alone need to get outside to take care of business, they can now do so through PetWALK pet doors -- sturdy barriers that are more secure and airtight than flaps, and are automatically triggered by RFID pendants. French saddle maker CWD meanwhile was at CES with what it billed as the first smart saddle tailored for the equestrian sport of jumping. Technology in saddles gathers data about stride, approach, recovery and more, then sends it to smartphones and pairs it with video so riders can improve performance, research and development engineer Camille Hebert told AFP. CWD has partnered with French start-up Arioneo to weave in an "iPulse" strap that adds data about a horse's heart rate. "Everything in our lives is smart," said Whistle's Wajer. "If technology can help make our pets lives better, than that is fantastic."
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The 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, drew some 4,000 exhibitors from dozens of countries and more than 170,000 attendees, showcased some of the latest from the technology world.
Here are highlights from the show:
Artificial intelligence battle
The duel between Amazon and Google for supremacy in artificial intelligence played out at the show. Amazon pushed its "Alexa Everywhere" strategy bringing its digital assistant to eyewear, wristwatches, televisions and even a toilet.
Not to be outdone, Google counterattacked with deals of its own, and with a massive ad campaign including a two-story "Google Assistant Playground" complete with a spiral slide from the roof to the pavement.
The rival virtual assistants were part of a larger trend to "smart" homes and cites where door locks, lights, security systems, traffic, and more are commanded or coordinated with the help of internet connections and machine brains.
Compassionate robots
Tech developers began moving beyond artificial intelligence to "emotional intelligence" and empathy with robots that can recognize people and their feelings, and respond in a more human manner.
Those on display included a ping pong-playing robot from Japan's Omron Automation which adapts its game to its opponent by reading body language. SoftBank robot Pepper entertained guests in a private suite adjacent to the show.
Revving up car tech
More players began gunning for Tesla with premium electric cars, including Chinese startup Byton and a revamped startup led by designer Henrik Fisker.
The show included a large presence from automakers and showed a commitment to advancing self-driving cars.
South Korea's Hyundai showed its new Nexo vehicle, betting on fuel cell technology, while Toyota unveiled a concept of an autonomous box for ridesharing and retail service.
Beyond the car
Even as car tech was on display, industry players sought to showcase alternative transport options. These included a self-driving motorcycle from Yamaha, and a range of electric bicycles, scooters, and hoverboards.
"We are seeing with personal mobility that some people like to skate; some people like to scoot, and some people like to ride," Swagtron chief operating officer Andrew Koven said as he unveiled a line of rideable gadgets.
Let's get medical
The tech world took a deep dive into the medical field, using virtual reality and sensors for health and medical applications.
Exhibitors showed how tracking and sensors used in self-driving cars can help keep the elderly from wandering off or determining distress. Other devices offered new ways to deal with stress and pain, or predict the onset of disease.
Medical professionals at a CES conference discussed how new pain management techniques such as virtual reality could help address the opioid addiction crisis.
Virtual reality headsets have been used to take people's minds off pain by immersing them in soothing environments. VR programs have also eased trauma by letting patients work through troubling experiences.
Sensors and the cloud
Sensors, cloud computing and artificial intelligence are becoming so ubiquitous and affordable that they are popping up in tech items tailored for pets, babies, seniors, new moms and other niche categories.
From wearable breast pumps to hip air bags triggered when people fall, and dog or cat doors that open automatically for pets, internet age innovations are reaching into the farthest corner of everyday life.
On the lighter side
Streaming television powerhouse Netflix played with people's minds with a booth for a fictitious company named Psychasec that offered replacement bodies in a promise of immortality.
It turned out to be a promotion for a coming Netflix show titled "Altered Carbon," set to debut in February.
Other offbeat items at the event included self-driving suitcases which follow its owners through airports and navigate around obstacles.
Outside the official show, robotic pole-dancers made their Las Vegas debut at a nightclub, with the artist who created the devices seeking to make a point about technology, surveillance and voyeurism in today's society.
The show was marked by a rain and flooding in usually dry Las Vegas, and a power outage in the main convention hall.
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Tech faithful gather to worship at mecca of innovation
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