The annual meeting of technology and electronics in Las Vegas has been deserted by the giants of the sector because of the Omicron variant but start-ups have occupied space with their innovations, their robots and their devices always more connected. Selection.
When the jaw becomes a remote control
Double click of the jaw, and the music stops: the idea works but its interest does not jump to the eyes, unless we consider a world with even more connected objects to control around us.
The French start-up Wisear is working on a technology to detect electrical signals between the brain and certain muscles to communicate with connected devices. “Over the past 30 years, we have greatly improved the power of digital technology around us, but we still use the same tools – keyboard, mouse, touch screen” to interact with machines, explains Yacine Achiakh, co-founder of Wisear. “We want to create an inclusive and easy-to-use interface. “
At this point, his team has integrated their system into headphones that can recognize jaw movements. Their user can therefore pause the music of a cell phone, and restart it, pretending to chew.
Robots with a dog
Boston Dynamics’ robot dogs – which have been compared to the killer robots from an episode of the dystopian series “Black” – are back, with big ambitions. They performed a dance demonstration to the music of South Korean group BTS, at the booth of Hyundai, which bought the robot maker last year. The show also included an animated film detailing Hyundai’s vision for the four-legged contraptions. The company hopes to one day send them to Mars, where they become the eyes and ears of humans curious to experience life on the red planet in virtual reality.
Silence in the powder
A ski at the front, a track at the back, a handlebar, a padded seat and above all, a battery: the MoonBikes are the first electric snow scooters, according to the start-up of the same name. “It’s electric and quiet, so it doesn’t bother customers and it protects the environment”, emphasizes Nicolas Muron, founder of the French company. His idea was to make this type of vehicle more attractive and more accessible. “88% of snowmobile users are men, with an average age of 46. So they are not for everyone. I wanted to make a machine that was easy to use.”
Boat without captain
Hyundai has a solution for boaters who want to enjoy the sea without worrying about navigation. The South Korean manufacturer presented at the show the “first autonomous boat”, which in 2021 completed a 10-kilometer journey with 12 passengers on board in Pohang City. It is equipped with 6 cameras, depth sensors and artificial intelligence systems.