CES started out as the “Consumer Electronics Show” back when VHS players leapfrogged each other with new technology. Now everything that touches technology or people awaits show goers braving the Las Vegas crowds.
The following stories from CES 2019 all struck ChannelPro as especially notable in one way or another. All have to do with IoT, and all have to do with technology. Besides that connection, the most common link is the 5G networking rollout we’re all waiting to see.
Smart Stuff. Right in Vegas itself, AT&T and Ubicquia started a pilot of smart lighting in highly-populated areas. Replacing existing photocells with Ubicquia Ubicell streetlight routers (pictured) creates a smart lighting network. Highly secure LTE and LTE-M networks will connect the IoT dots.
What should we see under smart lighting? How about smart cars? Sprint Curiosity IoT with 5G just started a pilot in Peachtree Corners, Ga. The 1.5-mile test track will serve as a test bed for self-driving cars and other emerging vehicles designed to draw on 5G networking. Mapbox will work with Sprint to create detailed maps that update as the environment changes.
Other IoT Stuff. Microsoft was busy with Azure IoT, AI, and mixed reality.
Speaking of Microsoft, Avnet introduced a new starter kit for securely connecting IoT solutions to the Microsoft Azure public cloud, plus a new gateway and a new device (developed in partnership with Octonion) for bringing AI and security to edge computing environments.
The Vibe whiteboard (pictured) captures your scribbles, update remote boards, and videoconference.
Big money markets for IoT? Industrial, automotive, and consumer. ROHM has chips and infrastructure to use in all three.
You may not know the Season Group by name, but you’ll soon hear about the SG Wireless subsidiary it’s created to support its full stack of IoT product lines.
Smart Potties. What is it with CES and bathrooms? Wait—don’t tell us. But this year’s winner of the “CES Sitting Ovation” was the not-yet-here Kohler Numi 2.0 intelligent toilet (pictured).
If you need IoT for your bathroom experience, may as well get an IoT litter box for your furry little YouTube star. Check out the LavvieBot that can send a text every time it gets used, and scoop itself as well.
