CES 2025 transformed Las Vegas into a glimpse of tomorrow, drawing more than 141,000 visitors eager to explore the innovations from over 4,500 exhibitors. I look forward to CES every year as it's one of the most interesting trade shows. It has the ability to point toward our technological future—showing us not just the gadgets that will likely fill our homes someday, but the innovations that can reshape entire industries.
This year's show provided a picture of technology's full spectrum: from whimsical consumer gadgets to industrial breakthroughs, from the practical to the futuristic. While it's impossible to capture every invention that graced the show floor, I've picked a select few that best represent this year's most compelling technological directions that showcase both the promise and peculiarity of what's to come.
The Manufacturing-Esque
The Intelligent AI Cabin Platform for Enhanced Driving
Desay SV and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. collaborated to deliver Desay SV's next-generation intelligent cabin platform, the G10PH powered by Qualcomm Technologies' Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform.
The G10PH uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI), computing, and high-definition graphics of the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform to push the boundaries of automotive technology.
The G10PH enables real-time decision-making, adaptive responses, and proactive assistance, creating an intelligent cabin assistant that's finely tuned to users' habits. Every vehicle using the G10PH will feature a user interface and support personalized features to enhance comfort and convenience.
Flexible AI Manufacturing
P&R Measurement made its global debut at CES 2025, showcasing its breakthrough solutions in AI-driven industrial applications and flexible manufacturing.
PRIME, P&R Measurement's self-developed industrial AI Agent, integrates industry testing and manufacturing processes with advanced AI intelligence and automation capabilities, simplifying engineering workflows and reducing technical barriers. It empowers non-expert users to confidently tackle complex engineering tasks. Essentially, it translates natural language into engineering language, letting machines easily communicate with each other.
Another innovation is its Smart Lab, an automated laboratory platform powered by AI and IoT. Designed to accelerate product development, Smart Lab reduced energy consumption in high-energy labs by 30% in its collaboration with a leading home appliance manufacturer, lowered the client's R&D testing costs, and significantly improved testing efficiency for home appliance development.
In partnership with a leading automotive manufacturer, P&R Measurement delivered a visual defect detection solution powered by AI algorithms. By training detection models, this solution enabled reliable appearance defect detection for large automotive parts, achieving a pass rate exceeding 99.8%.
For a global consumer electronics company, P&R Measurement used AI deep learning-based discriminative models to map objective test data to psychoacoustics signals, minimizing interference factors on the production line and automating laboratory-level testing directly on the production lines with efficient sound anomaly detection.
The Smart Glasses for Industry
While this entry fits into the wearable category below, I felt it deserved its spot here given its applications for the manufacturing industry.
Vuzix Corporation, a supplier of smart glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology, demonstrated a diverse set of smart glasses applications running on Vuzix smart glasses.
For warehouse & logistics applications, Vuzix's subsidiary Moviynt showed its Mobilium platform running on Vuzix M400 smart glasses. Mobilium bridges the gap between mobile devices and ERP systems and provides a studio for the rapid development of new workflows to eliminate inefficiencies and capture data from processes at all levels of the organization.
For remote maintenance support, Vuzix's partner Augmex showed its AUGASSIST remote support solution running on Vuzix M400 smart glasses. AUGASSIST offers features such as live annotations, AI, and AR overlays for immediate troubleshooting and guidance. It also helps reduce travel costs associated with sending engineers on-site.
For conversational AI & assisted learning, Vuzix's partner Mentra, a team of human-computer interface experts from MIT, featured its Mentra Merge conversational AI app and Mentra Link real-time language learning app on Vuzix Z100 smart glasses. Mentra Merge is a superintelligent agent that improves problem-solving, creativity, and conversations using proactive AI. Mentra Link gives users live language acquisition input, overlaid on their vision, during second language conversations, as well as translations, captions, and insights available at a glance.
The Humanoid Robots
EngineAI Robotics, an innovator in humanoid robots, debuted its three humanoid robots: SE01, SA01, and PM01. The SA01 and PM01 serve as open-source platforms for development, providing a basis for advancements in embodied intelligence.
The SE01 is EngineAI's first full-size general-purpose humanoid robot designed for industrial labor. SE01 features high load capacity and can handle tasks such as heavy lifting and precision assembly in complex environments. It incorporates advanced harmonic force control joint modules, deep reinforcement learning, and imitation learning algorithms, along with an end-to-end neural network model.
Unlike most humanoid robots we've seen, the SE01 has overcome the challenge of natural gait, eliminating awkward movements to enhance work efficiency and precision. Standing at 170 cm and weighing 55 kg, it can perform human-like actions such as squatting, push-ups, and running.
The SA01 robot designed for research and educational settings features an open-source platform, offering a customizable bipedal robot for research institutions and educational organizations. Weighing 40 kg, it can perform actions such as running and jumping.
The PM01 is a lightweight, high-dynamic, fully open embodied intelligent robot. Standing at 138 cm and weighing around 40 kg, it offers mechanical and humanoid natural gait walking modes. PM01 is the most flexible robot in EngineAI's lineup, with even better movement than the SE01. It features an interactive core screen and additional degrees of freedom in the neck and waist.
Zhao Tongyang, the founder and CEO of EngineAI, highlighted that the company is committed to launching scalable products at competitive prices, aiming to achieve the production and sales of over a thousand units by 2025.
The "Do We Really Need This?"
The Shoppable TV
You know how shows have product placements for cars or a certain food brand? Well we're going a step further with a new invention that makes everything you see on screen a product placement.
TheTake, a leader in AI-powered shoppable TV technology, announced its partnerships with LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics at the show.
LG Electronics showcased its 'Click to Search' feature powered by TheTake's cutting-edge real-time AI shopping technology. This enables LG viewers to instantly search for and identify virtually any person or product on screen by simply clicking on them with their LG Magic Remote. Viewers can then shop all their favorite products through a secure purchase flow, completing transactions with LG's webOS Pay functionality.
Samsung Electronics unveiled 'Trending TV Shopping' where viewers can browse and shop for trending products appearing in today's top linear and streaming programming directly through their Samsung TVs.
The company also showed its 'Enhanced Shopping' via Daily+ and Daily Board Interfaces that allow for highly engaging experiences, providing brands with unparalleled opportunities to reach high-intent audiences in a premium CTV environment.
I'm not a hater of ads, even when watching TV. Do I prefer a no-ad experience? Yes—I think we all do. And as much as I kind of like the idea of being able to search for a piece of clothing that an actor is wearing and be able to buy it—on the spot no less—it just feels too unsettling. I feel the overconsumption is being taken to new heights with this product. Also, Prime TV already has the ability to show you who an actor is.
The Educational/Wellness AI
AI Wellness (Assisted Intelligence Wellness) is a company that has created an "ecosystem that bridges the gap between healthcare and wellness by combining education, AI, and innovation". The company is focused on using the latest technology to change health and wellness education through customized digital screenings, virtual health programs, and curated marketplaces. Its platform connects healthcare providers, wellness practitioners, and businesses to combine traditional healthcare services with wellness solutions.
The company is promoting a few different avenues of using AI and health education to help communities be more informed but the biggest, and honestly kind of weird in my opinion (but that's what CES is for), are digital avatars. It's not digital avatars you see in the Meta world from Facebook that look like cartoon characters or Sims of yourself, but holographic images of you that let you be on a screen for people to interact with and ask questions—presumably about a specific topic that person is an expert in. While the company is promoting this as it can be used in doctor's offices in waiting rooms to educate patients or to handle intake forms while they wait, it seems much more likely that this tool is being used as a way for business to promote their brand and products. Basically a new form of digital advertising.
You can watch the video below to get a better understanding of what exactly AI Wellness digital avatars are and how they work. Warning, it's weird. With ads already being everywhere you look, it seems exhausting. However, in the cases where it's used for good and actual education rather than just "education" concealed as a way to sell you something, I could get on board.
The Next-Generation of Robots
Even though this is extremely relevant to manufacturing, I didn't include this in the above section mainly due to the commercial (which you can watch below) and how...unsettling it is.
Old World Labs (OWL) debuted its "Agents as a Service" technology, which takes AI systems and integrates them with humanoid robots to make the robots more capable of natural human-like interactions and more accurate task execution.
At the forefront of this tech is the "Replicants" system, a first-of-its-kind platform that's creating AI humanoid robots that use real-time reasoning, resource-aware adaptability, and dynamic interaction, which can bring huge benefits to manufacturing and virtual experiences.
Humanoid robots with AI can understand and interact with 3D environments, execute complex tasks on their own, and easily transition between physical and digital spaces.
Apart from the industrial space benefiting from this new solution, OWL has also expressed an avenue of these humanoid robots being companions for people. And that's as far as I want to go down that road. You can watch the video below to see its use as a companion. Who needs a nanny anymore when you have a robot?
While weird, this is still extremely beneficial in an industrial sense if it works well. It just seems a lot like we're entering the "I, Robot" territory.
The Wearables
The Mindfulness Necklace
PieX, a wearable tech company focused on emotional wellness, unveiled its AI Emotion Tracking Pendant. In addition to tracking your emotions, the pendant offers meditation guidance, automatic journal writing (voice memos), and AI coaching.
The AI coaching feature provides personalized advice based on your emotional state by using different sensors to monitor your stress level. It then uses on-device large language models (LLMs) to provide emotional insights and interactions to help you regulate your mood.
While there isn't a ton of information on PieX's website about all the technology of this pendant and how it operates, I was able to find another interesting feature. The pendant can stimulate your sympathetic nervous system to calm you when your emotions are high. Again, there's no further information on how it achieves this.
There's an app that then tracks all your data and provides mental health coaching to improve the state of your mind. You can even try out PieX's AI coach for the pendant on their site to see how it works.
The pendant is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2025, and you can sign up for updates on the Piex AI website.
In my mind, this is your smartwatch with fewer features that can be worn as a necklace instead of a watch. I see this being a hit with people who are really into mindfulness or maybe really need to get their stress in check for their health. Otherwise, I think most people will stick with a smartwatch as it already does most of what this pendant is offering, i.e. tools and resources for guided meditation, insights and tips on stress level and how to manage it, sleep tracking, etc.
And a part of me does like the idea of this but I also think I would end up chucking it across the room once I'm actually stressed or angry if it starts vibrating on me to regulate my emotions. I don't know, I would need to test it out and unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend CES this year.
The AI Earbuds for Professionals
viaim, an AI technology hardware company, debuted its AI-powered RecDot Earbuds that promise to eliminate workplace hassles.
The earbuds offer AI Meeting Summaries and To-Do Lists by having the AI analyze meeting content and automatically extract key points to generate summaries. This feature also identifies critical action items to create to-do lists. RecDot also supports real-time transcription and translation for three scenarios: On-site meetings, phone calls, and audio-video recordings.
The AI Dog Tracker and Collar
SATELLAI, a company that focuses on AI-integrated pet solutions, unveiled its SATELLAI Tracker and Collar. If the name wasn't a giveaway, the trackers and collars provide satellite tracking support, advanced AI features, virtual boundaries, and detailed activity monitoring for dogs.
The SATELLAI Tracker is designed for extended outdoor activities like camping and hiking, featuring the Qualcomm 9205S Modem, making it the first tracker to use satellite communication for precise tracking. To enable global connectivity, including in remote areas without cellular coverage, the tracker relies on the 3GPP Rel17 5G IoT-NTN satellite system powered by the Qualcomm MDM9205 Modem and Aware platform. The tracker works with over 680 global networks across 180+ countries.
It includes a solar panel for recharging, allowing for long-term operation, as well as a 7-day battery life on a full charge. The lightweight tracker attaches to a padded harness that won't snag, cause discomfort, or hinder your pet's mobility.
The SATELLAI Collar uses a dual antenna and a multi-constellation satellite positioning system to deliver precise tracking, even in areas with low connectivity where old-generation GPS collars could not work.
Using Mapbox's mapping platform, the collar allows you to manage virtual boundaries, supporting overlapping and nested fences. The collar also supports virtual fencing for areas up to 100,000 acres, letting dogs run freely.
In addition to keeping track of your dog's location, the collar provides real-time data on your dog's physical levels. It can offer health suggestions to keep your pet in its best shape while integrating behavior management options such as vibration and auditory signals. The collar features an IP68 water and dust resistance rating to withstand rain, mud, or even a short swim.
The SATELLAI Tracker and Collar will be available in early 2025.
The Sleep Apnea Smart Ring
There were quite a few smart rings launched at the show this year, but I wanted to bring attention to RingConn's Gen 2 smart wearable ring focused on monitoring health.
Conventional sleep apnea diagnosis typically involves overnight stays in sleep laboratories, where specialized equipment measures brain waves, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate. The Gen 2 addresses this need by providing continuous sleep apnea screening, offering users daily insights into sleep health. Currently, RingConn is pursuing FDA clearance for its sleep apnea monitoring feature.
Through redesigns of key components, including the battery structure, circuit layout, chip, and charging method, the RingConn Gen 2 features an ultra-slim profile with a minimum thickness of just 2 mm and weighing only 2 grams in the smallest size.
The Hearing-Aid Smart Glasses
DreamSmart's StarV Air2 AR smart glasses provide a new communication tool for the hearing impaired. Its speech transcription function can convert the picked-up audio source into clear subtitles and display them on the glasses quickly and accurately, meeting the needs of the hearing impaired in multiple scenarios.
StarV Air2 has a "real-time calling translation" function, which can receive speech in real-time during a call, automatically identify and translate the call content, and then generate a text record with one click, so that the hearing-impaired can answer calls without worrying about communication barriers and participate in communication more confidently.
The smart glasses support AI-driven voice interaction, touchpad interaction via smartphone APP, StarV Ring2 smart ring control interaction, and physical button interaction via power buttons and scrolls, allowing users to easily operate them. At the same time, the glasses can act as Bluetooth headphones.
Driven by AI technology, StarV Air2 is gradually becoming an important AI implementation hardware in the form of smart glasses and has shown unique competitive advantages. For example, StarV Air2's AI-driven real-time dialogue translation supports 13 languages such as English, Japanese, Russian, and French, changing the way users communicate with the world; its AI-driven flash memory and shorthand can directly evoke the AI voice assistant to generate text records and list them into the to-do list, greatly facilitating users' lives; the AI meeting assistant can not only intelligently prompt words during speeches but also generate meeting minutes summary based on the meeting speech to continuously improve office efficiency.
The Fun Stuff
The Home Chess Robot
The home robotics brand SenseRobot made its debut at CES with a range of products, including the SenseRobot Chess, SenseRobot 2-in-One, SenseRobot Go, SenseRobot 4-in-One, and the Light Wing Lamp. Among them, the "SenseRobot Chess and SenseRobot 2-in-1" made its global debut at CES 2025, wowing the audience as a representative of innovative AI products and announcing the start of the pre-launch phase.
SenseRobot brings chess to life with cutting-edge AI vision technology and intelligent decision-making algorithms. Its home-use robotic arm, designed with millimeter-level precision, effortlessly performs tasks like picking up chess pieces, enabling human vs. AI games, human vs. human games, and recording and reviewing gameplay. It's the world's first company to mass-produce household Al robotic arm robots on a large scale, more than 100,000 units have been shipped.
More than a robot, SenseRobot transforms learning into an adventure. Its tri-sensory interactive experience makes chess exciting and engaging for kids, sparking curiosity and a love for the game. For chess enthusiasts, it's a professional-level training partner, helping to sharpen skills while adding a touch of intelligent fun to every match. With the Apex Duel mode, you can challenge the top chess Al with a rating of ELO3200 and enjoy the thrill of playing chess.
It combines traditional 3D chess pieces and three-finger mechanical claws to flexibly grasp chess pieces and uses advanced visual algorithms to accurately detect and recognize chess pieces.
You can play on a physical board, improve your chess skills with 25 coaching levels, and compete online with players worldwide. It works for beginner lessons all the way to grandmaster strategies.
In addition to SenseRobot Chess, the company is also launching the SenseRobot 2-in-1 that combines chess along with checkers. It features 25 levels of chess AI built-in and 10 levels of checkers AI. It has teaching courses that are customized with leading institutions, using human-like teaching methods to enhance learning. It features chess level-breaking, apex duel, exercise & training, classic game review, online chess, endgame challenges, etc.
My husband is a chess enthusiast, spending countless hours on Chess.com playing against people and learning new skills watching Chess YouTubers. We have a physical chess board, but he's gotten so good at chess that I refuse to play with him since I only know the basics and like to wing it. So he beats me pretty quickly at this point. I see this being a great option for people who love to play and would like a break from always playing on the computer, would like a somewhat tangible playing partner, and a way to learn more strategies in real-time with a coach.
The SenseRobot Chess and SenseRobot 2-in-One will be launching on Kickstarter soon. You can visit the pre-launch page for information and to get exclusive early-bird pricing.
The AI Educational Pen
Youdao, an intelligent learning company, showcased its AI smart pen, the Youdao Dictionary Pen X7 series.
The Dictionary Pen X7 features applications such as the AI All-Subject Tutor, Mr. P AI Tutor, and the digital human language coach, Hi Echo, while also providing AI intelligent learning features such as AI essay refinement. The applications are based on the 'Zi Yue' educational large language model (LLM) from China. It also provides offline translation capabilities through an edge-side LLM.
Mr. P AI Tutor integrates the LLM and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) technology to provide guided explanations, multiturn interactive teaching, and Q&A support across all grades and subjects. It achieves translation results comparable to those of online NMT (Neural Machine Translation), greatly enhancing the accuracy and fluency of language learning.
The AI dictionary pen can provide high-quality content and functional services, ensuring that it remains focused on learning purposes and is not used for entertainment or other applications.
The AI Doll
Tuya Smart, a global cloud platform provider, has integrated with leading LLM providers, including Doubao, Tongyi Qianwen, Kimi, Yuanbao, OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, and Amazon Nova, to enable dolls and toys to use AI hardware to better understand voice commands and deliver customized voice responses.
Tuya debuted its AI-powered smart doll at CES that's designed for use in homes, schools, and other settings. The doll engages in communication and interaction with children, adapting its tone, voice, and language style to assume roles such as teacher or friend, enhancing the play experience. It interprets children's emotions and intentions, engaging in games or answering questions.
The doll also features scenario simulation capabilities, vividly describing adventures like forest explorations or space journeys to immerse children in diverse situations, sparking their imagination and creativity. Tuya plans to incorporate touch-sensitive features into the doll in the future to identify children's needs and offer personalized responses and interactions.
Unfortunately, Tuya didn't provide an image of said AI doll and I haven't been able to find any images of it yet. I can't wait to see what it looks like.
The Smarter Washing Machines
Henkel returned to CES 2025 to unveil its Smartwash Technology for washing machines and dishwashers. It uses an AI-driven, cartridge-based detergent dosing system launching first with Persil and Somat Smartwash for the European market this year.
Persil and Somat Smartwash devices dispense the right amount of detergent at the right times during multiple wash cycles. It selects the ideal wash cycle for each load to reduce your time figuring out which one is best and to reduce waste.
Henkel states that Smartwash offers up to 57% greater stain removal compared to current best-in-market detergents along with the ability to generate up to 300 quadrillion different dosing configurations to ensure the most optimal wash performance with every wash load.
Now if Henkel could pair with the laundry robot from Physical Intelligence so I don't have to remember to put my clothes into the dryer, that would be a winning combination.