7 weird and wonderful products at CES 2019

This year’s CES has given us many exciting moments. We were blown away by a number of intriguing TV announcements, including LG’s rollable TV and a Sony TV that emits sound from the screen itself.

Other announcements included more developments in smart home security and a snoring relief band which monitors your sleep through the night. Then, of course, there was more excitement about 5G, which isn’t too far away.

But there are other products at CES 2019 that caught the eye for other reasons. The weird and the wonderful was all on show here – and we’ve picked out some of our favourites.

 

1. A machine that folds your clothes for you

Image from FoldiMate

This is like something you’d see in Wallace and Gromit’s house – and it sounds too good to be true – but here’s a machine that actually does fold up your clothes. Trousers and shirts fold like a dream, all in about 10 seconds. We’re still at the prototype stage on this one, but FoldiMate should be ready to buy (only in the US for now) by the end of the year – for a shade under $1,000 (£780).

 

2. An ‘intelligent’ toilet

Image from Kohler

We’ve put the word ‘intelligent’ into inverted commas; how clever can a toilet really be?

But Kohler’s ‘Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet’ may at least make the most primitive of ablutions slightly more comfortable. There’s a heated seat, mood lighting and even personalised cleansing and drying for that personal touch. Together with support for Amazon Alexa and built-in speakers, you won’t want to stay away. The price? About £5,500. You’ll be able to order at the end of 2019.

 

3. A belt that watches your weight

Image from Welt

Post-Christmas, a lot of us are feeling the effects of our festive excesses. And many of us don’t want to be reminded. But for those of us that do, there’s the Welt Smart Belt. It keeps an eye on your waistline and your activity, and if it thinks you’re in danger of having a fall, it’ll try to alert you. It’s currently only available in South Korea, Japan and the US Amazon store.

 

4. A lawnmower that cuts the grass – without you

Up and down, up and down, up and down. Mowing the grass can be such a monotonous task. Well, this year’s CES has given us a great solution. ForwardX has come up with a lawnmower that just gets on with it. Once you’ve programmed the device to recognise your garden, it’ll go about its business, detecting obstacles on its way. It’s another prototype, but should be available to buy next year. You’ll just have to put up with the monotony until then.

 

5. Feed your pet, not everyone else’s

Image from Volta

Is there anything more frustrating than putting out a bowl of food for your pet, then someone else’s pet – or a stray – comes along and wolfs the whole lot. Well, a company called Volta are bringing recent advances in face-scanning technology into their innovative piece of tech. With the Mookkie, your pet’s food is placed behind a plastic door, which opens when they approach it. It may cost you the thin end of £150 to get your hands on one of these, but think how much money you’ll save in pet food.

 

6. An app that suggests meals based on your breath

Stuck for dinner ideas? Here’s a clever app from Lumen that works out – just from your breath – what sort of food you could do with eating (carbohydrates, fats etc), and suggests meals accordingly to help you boost your levels. Just blow into a breathalyser and your food suggestions will be served.

 

7. A toothbrush than cleans your teeth in 10 seconds

Image from Y-Brush

OK, so it doesn’t take that long to brush your teeth. But in the morning, when we’re rushing around, wouldn’t it be good to have those two or three minutes back? Well, this Y-Brush may look like a mouth guard, but simply pop it in your mouth and it’ll get to work with a complete clean in just 10 seconds. How is it possible? Well, it’s all down to the sonic vibrations and angled nylon bristles, apparently.