MMM Exclusive: The Most Futuristic Products at CES 2014

January 9, 2014

A Metallic Tree of Samsung’s New Curved UHD TVs

Technology is one of the biggest drivers of advancement for the human race and CES is the place to see all the latest and greatest in consumer electronics. For just a few days, exhibitors, industry analysts, investors, and media all converge in one place to determine what lies ahead for the technology industry in the upcoming year.

For this post, my focus is on companies that are in the best position to shape what the future is going to look like. They will likely have the biggest impact on how many of us will live our lives.

Best in show goes to Samsung, who unveiled their Curved Ultra High Definition TV. The company has become extremely successful in the last few years with their execution of high quality products (most notably, the Galaxy smartphone) and the mass market has really responded. Although they are pushing boundaries with their Curved UHD TV, it’s still questionable whether this product will be heavily adopted by consumers. It feels less gimmicky than 3D, but it may not be something consumers just need to have.

3D printing was a sector that I was really excited to check out. These companies truly have the potential to make the manufacturing process more accurate, efficient, and most importantly, less costly. The industry may still be in its infancy, but I believe that it will continue to advance very quickly.

The automakers also showed up in a big way. Toyota presented their fuel cell concept car, which runs off of hydrogen. Ford brought better charging electric vehicles, Mercedes showed their beautifully designed cars with impressive connectivity, and Audi stunned everyone with their Sport Quattro Laser Light concept car, which features lights that are nearly three times as bright and beam twice as far as their current, top-notch LED high beams.

A few things not pictured here: Digital health had a big showing at CES 2014. Businesses are betting big that people are going to use gadgets, like watches and robots, to enhance their well-being. Glasses seemed to attract a lot of attention, and Google is not the only player. Companies are betting that people want to use glasses for a variety of reasons, including recording video or browsing the web. The functions seem almost limitless, but the product is still in its infancy and has a long way to go.

Here are the most standout companies and futuristic products at CES 2014:

Samsung’s 105-inch Curved UHD TV

Sony’s booth was super immersive.

Sony’s Virtual Reality

3D Systems represented 3D Printing in a big way at CES.

Taking a photograph inside a booth by 3D Systems.

Once your photo is taken, it automatically recognizes your face and turns you into an action figure, which you can then customize. They have the ability to 3D print the figure and will send it to you for about $70.

Little 3D printing machines by MakerBot.

These girls startled me as I was walking by. They were talking and rolling around, all while in another city (like Skype or FaceTime). Love the application potential for hospitals, businesses, etc. By Beam.