5 BEST Things I Saw in Vegas at CES 2024

Summary

An engaging look at exciting new tech unveiled at CES 2024. Highlights transparent OLED TVs, low light solar cells to replace device batteries, noise canceling earbuds targeting hearing loss, heart monitoring wearables, and easily expandable home battery systems. Surprising resurgence of hydrogen for energy and transportation. Overall shift towards companies backing up sustainability claims with measurable progress.

Takeaways

• 😀 LG showcased transparent TVs that can switch between opaque and see-through modes
• 😄 Ambient Photonics created a new dye-sensitized solar cell with better performance and seamless integration into devices without batteries
• 😸 OrCam Hear is earbuds with targeted noise cancellation for hearing assistance
• 😎 Withings BeamO is a portable medical device for ECG, blood oxygen, temperature monitoring and digital stethoscope
• 💡 Shelly's new Gen 3 devices are small energy trackers to monitor power usage of appliances and trigger automations
• 🔋 Modular and expandable home battery systems from EcoFlow, Anker and others provide more affordable energy storage options
• 😋 'Balcony solar' with small panels and batteries is an emerging trend for apartment energy backup in Europe
• 😮 Hydrogen production and uses for transportation were unexpectedly highlighted by major companies like Bosch and Hyundai
• 🌍 Companies emphasized sustainability goals and actual progress, not just lip service
• 👍 There is interest in hydrogen for more equitable global access to clean energy

Q & A

What were some of the key trends Matt noticed at CES 2024?

Matt noticed trends like transparent TVs from LG, low-light solar cells from Ambient Photonics, wearable healthcare tech like OrCam Hear and Withings BeamO, modular and expandable home energy storage systems, and increased interest in hydrogen across multiple companies.

How does the transparent TV technology from LG work?

The TV has an opaque backing that can roll up and down to switch between a traditional flat panel screen and a transparent mode. In transparent mode, it can display art or apps that seem to float in space.

What makes the solar cells from Ambient Photonics unique?

They use a new type of dye-sensitized solar cell with much higher power density, 3-5x better than typical cells. This allows small devices to charge from indoor lighting without batteries.

What healthcare wearables caught Matt's attention?

The OrCam Hear earbuds for customized hearing assistance and the Withings BeamO which can monitor heart health, blood oxygen, temperature, and more.

What was the key trend in home energy storage?

Modular and expandable battery systems that allow easy customization and upgrading of home energy storage, from companies like EcoFlow and Anker.

What surprising resurgence did Matt notice around hydrogen?

Many major companies like Bosch, Panasonic, and Hyundai spoke positively about hydrogen's role in future energy systems, surprising Matt.

What hydrogen applications did companies discuss?

Transportation uses like hydrogen vehicles from Hyundai, as well as production of hydrogen from waste sources.

How did companies talk about sustainability?

Most companies discussed concrete goals and progress, rather than just lip service, which Matt was happy to see.

What is balcony solar?

Hanging solar panels off a balcony to charge a small battery pack and provide apartment energy resilience, though not common yet.

What follow-up content will Matt produce?

A podcast called Still TBD where he will discuss audience feedback on the trends and technologies from CES 2024.