The 5 Most Bizarre Things We Saw at CES This Year Check out these wacky offerings, from a toilet paper-toting robot to DNA tech that helps you grocery shop.
By Hayden Field
CES may be where innovation goes for validation, but the Las Vegas tech conference isn't all screens, servers and smart homes. Every year without fail, a slew of out-there devices and technologies come out of the woodwork. In 2019, some of the biggest head-scratchers were a $199 "smart belt," diaper tech, a pet dryer and an Alexa-enabled, music-playing smart toilet. This year, toilet tech kept on trending.
Related: The 10 Weirdest Devices We Found at CES 2019
Read on for some of the most bizarre devices we saw at CES 2020, from a toilet paper-toting robot to DNA tech that will help you grocery shop.
CharminA toilet paper-toting robot for when you’re stranded.
Ever been stranded on the commode, cursing your former self who forgot to stock the bathroom with more toilet paper? With "Rollbot," Charmin aims to rectify that. The small robot connects to your smartphone (because who enters the bathroom without it?) via Bluetooth, and upon the push of a button, it'll come to your aid. But keep in mind that since it can't take on stairs or open doors, you may stay stranded. The device has only been in development for a couple of months, but according to P&G LifeLab, the team has been privy to consumer complaints about this issue for more than 20 years.
A $10,000 gold-plated keyboard.
If all that glitters is gold, then this version of the XPG Summoner gaming keyboard is definitely 24-karat. The key caps and base are both plated, and though it's not currently for sale, everything has a price — the 24-karat Summoner reportedly costs $2,500 to make and would likely retail for about $10,000. At the moment, parent company Adata gifts the keyboard to VIPs, including company partners and at least one prince.
SegwayA seated version of the Segway.
If Segways weren't … striking enough, the transportation company debuted the S-Pod at CES this year. It's a seated version of the vehicle that can travel at up to 24 mph, and Segway envisions the smart pod being used to transport people in closed campuses such as theme parks, airports and the like. And though it seems no one who lays eyes on it can get the hover chairs from Wall-E off the brain, the Jurassic World Gyrosphere was the product's true inspiration.
LuluPetA smart litter box that analyzes your cat’s every move.
Felines go number-two, too, and according to smart litter box company LuluPet, the result can yield some useful insights. The Alexa-enabled device uses urine and stool analysis, along with a proprietary algorithm, to call attention to weight changes and otherwise monitor your furry friend's health. Plus, LuluPet uses cat facial recognition to keep track of multiple pets' comings and, well, goings.
DNANudgeA wearable that uses your DNA to make grocery shopping suggestions.
"Shop With Your DNA" may be the single scariest company tagline we've ever seen. But health tech company DNANudge aims to guide people towards healthier food choices by analyzing their genetic makeup. After a user mails a saliva sample to the company's London HQ, they should receive a personalized nutrition profile. Once DNANudge uploads a user's digitized DNA report to their app, the sample is destroyed, and the consumer can begin to scan product bar codes at the grocery store using the company's wearable armbands. A green light suggests a product is a healthy choice based on your DNA, while a red one advises against a product.
You may not be using your DNA as currency like the tagline suggests, but then again, it's likely someone is. DNANudge does sell anonymized and aggregated personal data, and the company will cooperate fully in providing personal user data to government bodies, regulators and courts in the event of a "legitimate request" or subpoena. It's always important to read the fine print.
