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The Best of CES 2022: Smart Devices, Systems and Platforms for Today and Near Future

Here are the winners of our Editor’s Choice Awards for best tech at this year’s CES show.

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After each CES Show, we sit down and discussed amongst ourselves what we saw at the largest consumer electronics show in the world, Consumer Electroics Show (CES), and which products/services we think will have an impact on our lives. Though this year we did not walk the convention floors, we were able to see via virtual meetings many exhibitors who had innovative and relevant products and/or services for today and the near future.

(To see the winners of 2023 CES Show, go to The Best of CES 2023: New Smart Devices and Tech for Today)

After four days of meeting, we did find many of the new products focused on solving the lack of interoperability among smart devices. We also saw companies with technology that provided solutions to help the environment. Overall, the show was filled with new innovations which will make our new connected lives better. Though we can’t award everyone, we do want to share with you the ones that made our list of award winners for Best of CES 2022:

Moen Smart Water Security System and Sump Pump

Keeping with the themes of connectivity and sustainability, conserving water and protecting your home from water damage are on homeowner’s minds all the time. One company providing a viable solution is Moen and it’s the reason we selected them as one of our Editor’s Choice Award winners at CES 2022.

The Moen Smart Water Network is the industry’s first whole-home smart water ecosystem, and according to the company expanding in 2022 with new product and app innovations. The Network is the one of the first truly integrated water system that gives consumers the peace of mind which comes with being able to monitor their water usage and detect leaks in their pipes, 24/7. It also enables them to automatically shut off the water before a catastrophic leak occurs and damages the home. It also can precisely control the temperature and amount of water they need from their Smart Faucet – with all products controlled and working together within the Moen Smart Water App.

The Moen Smart Water Network consists of Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff valve, smart leak detector, smart faucet with motion control, smart shower and the first smart sump pump monitor. This smart sump pump connects to a home’s current sump pump to monitor and provide alerts for potential pump failure. It can also help reduce the risk of flooding.

All these smart devices work in tandem with the Moen Smart Water App to proactively monitor a home’s and help mitigate the risk of water damage 24/7.

Buy Flow Smart Water Monitor on Amazon

John Deere Autonomous Tractor

John Deere introduced the first autonomous farm tractor to help farmers keep up with the increasing global food demand and provide a more efficient way to balance work and home life. This new autonomous vehicle, John Deere autonomous 8R Tractor can prepare over 325 acres of soil in just 24 hours. How big is 325 acres? Size of the National Mall in Washington, DC.

How does the John Deere autonomous Tractor work? It has six pairs of stereo cameras, which enables 360-degree obstacle detection and the calculation of distance. Images captured by the cameras are passed through a deep neural network that classifies each pixel in approximately 100 milliseconds and determines if the machine continues to move or stops, depending on if an obstacle is detected. The autonomous tractor is also continuously checking its position relative to a geofence, ensuring it is operating where it is supposed to, and is accurate to within less than 1 inch.

The autonomous tractor is also very easy to use. Farmers just need to transport the tractor to a field and configure it for autonomous operation. Then with John Deere Operations Center Mobile, they can swipe from left to right to start the machine. While the machine is working, the farmer can leave the field to focus on other tasks while monitoring the machine’s status from their mobile device.

John Deere Operations Center Mobile provides access to live video, images, data, and metrics, and allows a farmer to adjust speed, depth, and more. In the event of any job-quality anomalies or machine-health issues, farmers will be notified remotely and can adjust optimize the performance of the machine.

Sleepme Dock Pro Sleep System

Photo of Dock pro and Chilipad Pro mattress pad on a bed

Sleepme Dock Pro and Chilipad Pro Temperature regulating mattress pad.

Sleepme

Sleepme has come up with a unique smart sleep system which offers the ultimate experience in cooling sleep technology. It’s called the Dock Pro and when paired with Chilipad Pro temperature-regulating mattress pad, it can provide you with the optimal sleep temperature to ensure you receive you get the rest and recovery needed to take on any day.

The Dock Pro’s new patent-pending cooling system has an industry leading cooling capacity with nearly double the cooler power than our previous sleep systems. It’s quiet and comes with a sleek design to fit discreetly under the bed.

The Chilipad Pro mattress pad with hydrolayer technology is the most advanced water cooling and heating mattress pad on the market. Its breathable material and 100% machine washable. It has a dryable variable stretch rate matches the stretch rate of your mattress and makes it so comfortable you won’t even know it’s there—except that your bed stays at your perfect temperature all night. It’s also 100% machine washable and dryable.

The Dock pro works with the free sleepme app and allows you to curate your personal sleep environment including scheduling your perfect temperature throughout the night.

The Chilisleep Dock Pro with Chilipad Pro Mattress Pad will be available in Spring 2022 at a cost of $1,299.99. Pre-order here.

TCL NXTWEAR AIR Smart Glasses

TCL NXTWEAR AIR Smart Glasses are the second-generation smart display glasses from TCL. These smart glasses offer a portable cinematic experience, with a 140-inch equivalent screen from a distance of four meters. The device elevates the viewing experience for movie watching, mobile gaming, remote office working and for commuters. Weighing just 75g, with a standard lens, the NXTWEAR AIR comes with two exchangeable front lenses, for both comfort and style.

TCL’s new smart display glasses provide an untethered use from any screen in your home, office or even on an airplane. It frees you up to enjoy the content from anywhere. TCL NXTWEAR AIR will provide a blockbuster viewing experience but can also be used on video calls with the office or friends. And when paired up with a Bluetooth controller, you can get the ultimate immersive gaming experience. (Note: pricing and availability will be announced in February 2022.)

Ottonomy Autonomous Delivery Vehicles - Ottobots

Autonomous driving technology has been talked about for years and mostly involved the open road. But what about using this technology to help solve the last mile in the supply chain or possibly use it inside to streamline deliveries? Ottonomy is one company that has come up with the technology and robots to make this happen today and not tomorrow. Their new autonomous delivery robots, Ottobots, bridge the gap between indoor and outdoor autonomous vehicles. They announced at CES 2022 new partnerships which will allow their Ottobots to make indoor deliveries, curbside deliveries and last-mile deliveries. They are also the first fully autonomous delivery robot at an airport (Cincinnati).

How do Ottobots work? The Ottobots create a digital map of the serviceable area and localize within that map. Its live location gets updated on the map while they are navigating autonomously to deliver the orders. Ottonomy's proprietary contextual mobility navigation software enables Ottobot to navigate through crowded and unpredictable environments. Ottonomy provides a highly scalable and flexible solution, utilizing a comprehensive suite of tools for managing a fleet of robots deployed across different geographies.

For 2022, we expect to see more of these autonomous delivery vehicles on the street or at a big box store. They can be a big help to retailers and restaurants what want to offer contactless deliveries to their customers during Covid season.

Homey Bridge and App

How would you like to control all your smart devices in one app? Or maybe you want a DIY Control4 System at a very low cost to run your smart home? One company that can offer you this solution is Homey and their DIY smart home Homey Bridge and App.

Homey Bridge makes it easy for users to connect any smart home device to another one due to its compatibility with Zigbee, Z-Wave Plus, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 433MHz and Infrared. You can easily pair and control a Zigbee light with a Wi-Fi smart thermostat. Homey Bridge retails at $69 and will be available starting in February 2022 at Amazon, BestBuy, The Home Depot and other big box retailers.

The Homey app can be used to control smart home devices — either via Homey Bridge, or as an app-only solution without the need for Homey hardware. The free version of the Homey app controls up to five devices. The premium version enables an entire household to connect an unlimited number of smart devices and is available for $2.99 per month.

Homey has been successful in Europe with solving interoperability, and we look forward to seeing their technology help US users now overcome lack of interoperability of smart devices in their homes.

If you have a lot of smart devices and want a simple way to setup control in one app, check out Homey.

Coway Smart Care Air Mattress


This year we are giving our Editor’s Choice Award to Coway’s Smart Care Air Mattress and Smart Sleep Solution. This new smart adjustable mattress uses Coway’s proprietary, patented technology for a better night’s sleep. After detecting the user’s body pressure and sleeping position, the mattress adjusts itself to one of nine firmness levels through Air Cells. These next-generation air pockets control their own air pressure to adjust the firmness of the mattress. As a result, the mattress constantly feels new with this durable new technology that replaces traditional fast-wearing mattress springs. At the Zone, visitors can experience Coway’s Smart Sleep Solution, which relates to Air Care products to produce the optimal humidity for a quality sleep. Nothing better than sleeping on a firm mattress with clean air circulating in your bedroom all night long.

Boogie Board Versa Reusable Board

Boogie Board’s new product has nothing to do with surfing, but it has a lot to do with effortless organization and saving the environment. Their new Versa Board is a reusable writing tablet which utilizes never seen technology to help support wellbeing without sacrificing convenience or efficiency. It can empower us to detach from the distractions around us. It’s perfect for writing down household reminders, grocery lists or family messages which we normally do with small pieces of paper. It can hang on your refrigerator using the included magnets or you can stand it up on a counter using the built-in kickstand. It also comes with a VersaPencil stylus which can be used for writing and erasing on the pad.

The Versa Board costs only $29.99 and is available in three colors (Hickory Red, Slater Blue and Mineral Green) on the company website and Amazon.

Buy on Amazon

Victrola Re-Spin Portable Turntable

Photo of Victrola Re-Spin product line of portable turntables

Victrola Re-Spin Portable Turntables come in four colors.

Victrola

Vinyl records are making a comeback in the music industry and so are the devices you need to play these records. Victrola’s Re-Spin Portable Suitcase Record Player is a brand-new all-in-one record player with an array of unique technologies and unique color finishes that champions design, superior sound quality, and sustainability. At first glance and listen, Re-Spin’s retro-style aesthetic and upgraded internal speaker reimagine the suitcase record player marketplace. It also comes with Victrola’s new anti-vibration speaker enclosure technology. Victrola’s dual-speaker enclosure enables delivery of enhanced sound performance while eliminating vibrations for a skip-free, bass delivering, vinyl listening experience unrivaled by previous generations of suitcase record players. This is a must have in portable turntables.

The Re-Spin will be available in Q3 2022 for $99.99 and comes in four colors: blue, green, gray and red.

Kohler Perfect Fill Bath Filler and Drain

Kohler PerfectFill Bath Filler and Drain on a tub with a woman controlling it via a smartphone app

Control Kohler PerfectFill with Kohler Konnect app

Kohler

Imagine asking Alexa to fill your tub up with water at the perfect temperature while you continue to work with your children on their homework. And she does it to the perfect level and notifies you when ready. This is now a reality thanks to Kohler. Their new PerfectFill Bath Filler and Drain is a drain system that integrates a smart drain, digital/app controller and bath filler. This technology can draw a bath to a preferred preset temperature and desired depth with a simple voice command or through the KOHLER Konnect app, reducing time spent monitoring the bath as it fills. This system allows users to set and activate 10 pre-set experiences, letting each person activate their own bathing experience easily.

PerfectFill works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant enabled devices when paired with the Kohler Konnect app. The app is also used for provisioning and commissioning the system, creating presets, customizations and control options.

PerfectFill is not cheap and requires professional installation as well as a Kohler Spout and compatible Kohler Bath. Sets start around $2,700 and will be available in 2022.

SERENIO by MedAir Labs

Another new technology we liked at CES 2022 was SERENIO by MedAir Labs. SERENIO is a global first innovation which can neutralize COVID and Influenza indoors. It’s the first device we have seen has been tested with live COVID virus in a Bio-Safety-Level 3 Lab. Real world installations of SERENIO have resulted in zero cases of at site transmission of COVID. This new technology is much needed for the Indoor Air Purification market. SERENIO works against all current and future variants and mutations of COVID and market-enabled in the US under the FDA’s Enforcement Policy for Sterilizers, Disinfectant Devices, and Air Purifiers During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency and is 510(k) pending.

SERENIO is a great solution for schools, offices, workplaces, retail outlets, restaurants and other outdoor spaces. There is no filter and $0 maintenance costs. Most importantly, it’s safe for use around humans and animals.

The cost of SERENIO is $3,800 per unit which is not cheap, but it will instantly neutralize 99.994% of Covid-19 virus in the air and on surfaces. To learn more or buy SERENIO, go to their website.

Hisense Next Gen ULED 8K Mini-LED Smart TVs

product shot of new hisense smart TVs at CES 2022

Hisense Next Gen ULED 8K Mini-LED smart TV lineup

Hisense

How can we not award a television manufacturer at CES? As televisions get bigger and smarter, they also get expensive. Hisense is one TV manufacturer who has maintain their focus on delivering high performing and high-quality products at an impressive value. This year we are awarding Hisense because of their U8 Series featuring a Mini LED upgrade paired with Hisense’s ULED technology and Quantum Dot. This line of smart TVs has everything you need in a smart TV including the introduction of the Google TV platform, and premium technology upgrades like ULED Mini LED options and next-generation gaming features like FreeSync.

If you are in the market for a new smart TV, check out Hisense’s new ULED line of 8K Mini-LED smart TVs. They will be coming out Mid to Late Summer 2022 at various price points and sizes.

Smart Meter Remote Patient Monitoring Platform/FDA Approved Products

Photo of Smart Meter product line of RPM devices that work on cellular connection

Smart Meter Remote Patient Monitoring Platform/FDA Approved Products

Smart Meter

Over the years we have seen advancement in digital health with the arrival of FDA approved smart health devices. Now, with the Covid pandemic, there is a rise in remote patient monitoring (RPM) and chronic care management. One company ready to take on this chore is Smart Meter, a company that has been at the forefront of RPM ecosystem. We are awarding Smart Meter and their cellular-connected devices, iBloodPressure, iGlucose, iScale and iPulseOx our Editor’s Choice Award for CES 2022.

Smart Meter’s cellular-enabled devices simplify RPM. They are an easy out-of-the-box solution; just insert the included batteries and press the start button. The monitoring devices contain IoT SIM cards, so they automatically send the patient’s data over the internet. At the show, the company announced a unique partnership with AT&T IoT network. Now, users can connect Smart Meter devices with AT&T IoT Network then to the SmartRPM cloud so a healthcare provider can access the data via a secure log-in.

What does this mean? It means easy access to improved healthcare with the peace of mind that comes from frequent assurances and support. For health care providers, the benefits include ready access to more complete patient data and the ability to act on it in near real-time, while automatic record keeping meets requirements for reimbursement.

GAF Energy is launching Timberline Solar

Do you like the look for big solar panels on the roof of a house? Many homeowners don’t but are willing to put up with it to help save money on their energy bills and keep the environment clean. GAF Energy has a new product that will help improve the look for solar panels on your roof and it’s called Timberline Solar. This new roof system is the only one of its kind that can directly integrate solar technology into traditional roofing processes and materials. It incorporates the world’s first nailable solar shingle, the Timberline Solar Energy Shingle (ES). These new nailable solar shingles will enable the mainstream deployment of clean energy via traditional roofing channels. We are awarding GAF Energy our Editor’s Choice Award because of the breakthroughs in material science, solar tech, and manufacturing this new product has achieved. To learn more about GAF Energy Timberline Solar, you can click here.

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum – Best Self-Operating Robot Vacuum

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum in a room

Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum

Roborock

Robot vacuum technology has been getting better each year. We are seeing more smart vacuums come to market with longer battery life, stronger suction and improved mapping technology. We have even seen robots with the capabilities to mop or vacuum your floor as well as automatically unload dirt into a dustbin. At CES, Roborock took this technology to next level with their new S7 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum. This new robot vacuum is the closest true autonomous robot vacuum we have seen to-date. It is powered by Roborock’s most advanced technologies, the new ReactiveAI 2.0 obstacle recognition system – and the acclaimed VibraRise intelligent mopping system to provide a superior and convenient cleaning process. It can identify and adapt to items in its path and empty its dirt bin when it needs to without any human intervention. This new robot vacuum can even identify the type of flooring and recommend ideal cleaning patterns which might require more suction power or scrubbing intensity.

The S7 MaxV Ultra will be available for purchase on Amazon in the US in Q2 2022 at a cost of $1,399.99.

Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility find engine to see the other compatible products that work with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa enabled devices or any other smart connected device you have in your home.

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