Tag Archives: ces2021

GoSun is bringing the solar revolution to your home @ CES 2021



GoSun Solar Revolution productsAt CES 2016, we met Patrick Sherwin, the founder of GoSun. The company was announcing a fascinating new solar stove that was built through inspiration from Patrick’s experience working with roofing. It uses solar directly to cook food in a tube, and can be used with 12-volt power for use at night or in bad weather. Since 2016, Patrick and GoSun have expanded their product line, staying focused on solar-powered products and the camping community.

This year, we are introduced to the current GoSun product lineup. It now includes nearly everything that regular campers could possibly want. The core of the product line is the power solutions. You can get small, portable solar panels in 10-watt and 30-watt options. You can use these solar panels to power many devices, but the most obvious is a power bank. Charging one of the GoSun banks, like the Power 144, allows you then power your devices and charge the bank at the same time.

One of the really intriguing product categories on offer was focused on water. These newer products have won a CES Innovation Award for 2021, which indicates a unique and useful product. In this case, you can get a solar-powered water purifier and pump, and a portable sink and shower that connect to the pump. The purifier is small enough to fit into a backpack, runs on solar, and can filter up to 99% of pathogens from water.

While the obvious target here is camping, it was hard for us to also focus on the usefulness in the event of natural disasters. This comes from much of the team living on the Gulf Coast and knowing what happens after a hurricane. The water filter would mean being able to trust the water we hoard in our bathtubs ahead of the storm, and possibly other water we receive after a storm.

The GoSun product line, which is wider than we have covered here, is available from the company’s website or on Amazon.

Interview by Christopher Jordan of The Talking Sound.

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Mighty Health keeps your body in shape and your mind alert @ CES 2021



Mighty Health fitness trainerAs folks age, their health needs slowly change, sometimes to the point that they don’t realize their decline. James Li, co-founder, and CEO of Mighty Health tells of the time his father was rushed into the hospital for emergency open-heart surgery. He was told in no uncertain terms that he either must change his current diet and lifestyle or he would be back in three to six months, even though the surgery was successful. Out of this scary experience came Mighty Health, a nutrition and lifestyle program designed especially for those over 50 years of age. James described it as a virtual YMCA.

As we age, it’s natural that we cannot do things as we used to that requires regular exercise or physical stamina. Older people’s needs are much different for fitness. Maybe it’s running a 5K or doing weights that are not working the way that they used to. Another common problem is joint pain. These days we are very restricted from going to places that many people share a limited area due to COVID-19. This has many negative repercussions, one of which is loneliness and isolation, which is definitely a contributor to poor health, both mental and physical. Not only are there nutritional classes and workout videos, but just by being involved in this program, you’ll find yourself in a community of people who are just like you. This is 360 support for you and you find that you are not in this alone.

The program has cardiologists and fitness trainers from all over the world who will guide you through the journey to better health through your nutrition and exercise program. Mighty Health will also send alerts to your family members so they can cheer you on for support.

The easy-to-use-app is not only available for iOS and Android, but for your phone and tablet. The cost of the program is $19.99 a month or you can get a discount by pre-paying for a year, which is $159.99. For more info, go to the company’s website.

Interview by Christopher Jordan of The Talking Sound.

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DFree is an early warning system for your bladder @ CES 2021



DFree bladder sensorThere are a lot of things that happen as you age, one of which is something very personal that most people don’t like to or won’t talk about. Probably the most common one is the concern of bladder control. There are 500 million people worldwide that truly suffer from this issue. DFree was developed to help target those people with this problem. This is mainly the senior population or anyone who has a bladder incontinence condition.

DFree is a small wearable device that has an ultra-sound sensor. Being totally non-invasive, it is placed on the lower abdomen after applying ultra-sound gel and secured with medical tape. Using four ultra-sound probes, it is paired with your phone and tells you how full your bladder is so you can be prepared to find a bathroom if necessary. Through the app, there is a range of 1-10, with 1 being empty and 10 being full. We typically fall between 1 and 10. There is a notification threshold that can be set to a number to let you know how full the bladder is, say 80. When it reaches 50, it will notify you so you can plan on finding a bathroom. It has an analysis function that shows you several things. Some of these are how much urine is accumulated, how often you go to the bathroom, and how much time passes between bathroom visits. Much of this information seems unnecessary to some people, but if you live with this condition, any and all information can be very helpful in coping with the issue.

DFree has a USB port and is easy to charge. The charge lasts for 24 hours, allowing the user to wear it all day. This is available now for $399.99 but that is just for the hardware. There is also a minimal cost for the ultra-sound gel and the medical tape. For more info go to their website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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iWONDERCOOK takes the hassle out of preparing a fresh meal @ CES 2021



After a long day at work, whether you’re working from the office or working from home, sometimes the energy or interest to cook dinner can be limited. For some, it means going and getting fast food. For others, it means jumping on an app and ordering delivery. But, if you are lucky enough to have an iWONDERCOOK, you don’t have to have fast food or order out, and you don’t have to expend the energy to cook.

iWONDERCOOK is a small robotic chef that is designed for your personal kitchen. It is about the size of a consumer 3D printer and even follows similar principles. The design of the meal is done beforehand, and the required materials are prepared and shipped to your house. To cook the pre-packed but not prepared meal, you scan the barcode on the package and place the ingredients in the machine. Then, in about 15 minutes, return to the machine and plate your food. That’s all there is to it. In fact, during the conversation, Michael Lemberg cooked and plated a meal on camera.

The way it works behind the scenes is similar to some of the meal kits, but with an easy and robotic twist. The company sources the ingredients to support the recipes in its system. They then clean, cut, and pack those ingredients into containers, split by meal. They ship those packets to you, which contains the general ingredients, sauces, and spices. So far, a tried and true model. The difference, of course, is that you don’t need a printed recipe with preparation and cooking processes. Instead, just scan, cook, and walk away. You don’t even have to deal with cleanup, as the machine takes care of that (except for your plate and silverware).

Because of delivery requirements, iWONDERCOOK is currently limited to the New York area. If you are interested in learning more about the product, check out the website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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WooBloo SMASH puts a smart projector anywhere you need it @ CES 2021



WooBloo SMASH smart projectorThe last 12 months has created an interesting new reliance on entertainment. Being locked in our homes has forced us to look for new ways to spend our free time. A lot of it has driven us onto services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video because there are large libraries of content to help us survive downtime. But, for many people, this has forced them to watch a lot of content on small screens, like phones, tablets, or laptop screens. WooBloo has a new product, called SMASH, which will help with that limitation.

The WooBloo SMASH is a small, portable high definition smart projector. Because of the wireless capabilities, you can take it into any room of the house and watch your content. Take it into the living room and watch a high-profile movie together, or take it into your bedroom and watch a TV show by yourself. You can even take it into the kitchen and use it to cook with your kids, using tutorial videos on the wall.

Unlike other smart projectors we’ve seen, SMASH has removed the biggest limitation on those platforms – software availability. This is because SMASH allows you to use Airplay and Chromecast to push content from your phone, tablet, or computer directly to the screen. In addition, the projector has an HDMI port to allow you to bring other devices, like gaming consoles and streaming sticks, onto the screen. But, you can also get in-built applications to reduce the strain on your other devices.

When WooBloo SMASH is not in use as a projector, it can also be used as a smart speaker, both plugged in and on battery. This is powered by Alexa, giving you access to all of the features of the Alexa digital assistant.

WooBloo SMASH is available now for pre-order on Indiegogo. For more information, check out the company’s website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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FaceMe allows for a more personal product experience @ CES 2021



FaceMe by CyberLinkAt CES 2020, we had the opportunity to be introduced to FaceMe by CyberLink. While most people think of CyberLink because of its video-related software, FaceMe takes that video processing knowledge and applies it to one of the most sought after aspects of connected devices – facial detection and recognition.

There has been a lot of talk over the past year about facial recognition and how it can be abused. Generally, the two ways we have seen the technology misused has been in inappropriate implementations and openly accessible data. FaceMe helps to address the concerns through its technology setup. While many systems require uploading images to a centralized server, FaceMe is an entirely closed system. This design allows for companies to create unique experiences while still valuing privacy.

The product came about almost accidentally. It was originally created as a part of another product called YouCam Makeup. This product was designed to allow for virtual makeup trials, which obviously needed the ability to recognize and distinguish a face and its features. After the success of YouCam Makeup, the company saw the value that the underlying technology could hold for themselves and others.

Because FaceMe is designed to be able to be used nearly anywhere, it means that it can help enhance lots of products and services. A developer could use it to create another virtualization product, like what we see with Snapchat filters. Or, a developer could use it to allow for individualization of products, like a pill dispenser. Imagine having a single dispenser in a home and, using embedded technology, can determine who is at the machine in order to only give them their medications.

If you are interested in learning more about FaceMe or engaging CyberLink on integrating the software into your platform, check out the product’s website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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Hero Trainer brings the only fitness reward app for gamers @ CES 2021



Hero Trainer exercise rewardsA lot of people hear the word “gamer” and picture of a certain kind of person in their mind. But contrary to popular belief, the world of gaming is actually quite vast and getting more diverse all the time. There are so many different types of video games that there truly is something for everyone. Games for kids that expand their creativity and problem-solving abilities, games for sports lovers that immerses them right in with their favorite teams, first-person shooter games that let you get your Rambo on, and yes… even character-based games that the grown-ups enjoy way more than they ever imagined that they would. Hero Trainer wants to help change that misconception.

As a gamer himself, Yash Jain wanted to find a way to bring the elements of fitness, community, and rewards to the world of gaming. The result is truly invigorating. Yash founded Hero Trainer, a free mobile app where users can earn rewards in their favorite video games by simply exercising. That’s right, earn in-game rewards and even gift cards for use in dozens of video games (on your PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo) just for walking. He came up with the idea after realizing that even when he had a decent fitness streak going, he would end up losing motivation for various reasons and ultimately fall short of his own fitness goals. Like so many others, video games ranked higher on his list of interests than fitness, so he came up with the idea of merging the two. And what better incentive than offering gaming currency for steps taken.

Cool concept, right? But how does it work? It’s actually so EZ! Simply download the app from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and let your wearables and smartphone do the rest. Steps are counted and transferred into Hero Trainer from both the Apple Health and Google Fit apps. The currency that you accrue for spending is called Aura and you earn 1 Aura for every 1,000 steps you take. Rack up that Aura and redeem rewards in the Marketplace. Vendors include Riot Games, the Steam Store, Blizzard Entertainment, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo eShop, Google Play, and Apple. We can’t think of a better reason to stop camping and go AFK for a nice long walk.

As an added layer of motivation, Hero Trainer goes a step further by adding that gaming element to the app itself. Each user has their own character in the app that grows stronger as they walk. If that weren’t exciting enough, you can also team up with friends, in Guilds, and compete in seasons that are about 8 weeks long. Depending upon where your Guild ranks, you can earn even more points to spend in the marketplace. As you can imagine, this concept is quite intriguing for us here at PLUGHITZ Live, as we have been known to dabble in a game or two from time to time. And, not to brag, but we’re quite the team, especially when we’re on the road at tech conventions.

So, whether you’re badass in Call of Duty, a tank in League of Legends, or reached the Koopa Troopa Cup in Mario Kart Tour, you can only benefit from using the Hero Trainer app. To get more information and download the app, click here and use our Referral Code – BAO8. Our PLUGHITZ Live Guild looks forward to seeing you there.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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Follinic makes regrowing lost hair as easy as wearing a cap @ CES 2021



Follinic hair restoration capHair loss is a common problem for a large portion of people. We may immediately think of male pattern baldness, but females have hair loss problems, too. There have been many treatments over the years, from creams to pills, and even hair transplants. The results and price have varied wildly, and the side effects have as well. South Korean company IL Science has a new product designed to avoid all of these things – Follinic.

The Follinic does not use any internal intervention and, instead, focuses on the scalp itself. The product looks like a brimless baseball cap and fits the same way. Using various specially focused LEDs, as well as microcurrent, it is supposed to both prevent hair loss and stimulate follicles that have already stopped growing hair.

While the product has already been cleared by the FDA in the United States and has been on sale in South Korea, our guest Youngju Hwang personally questioned the efficiency of the product. So, she purchased one at regular retail and tried it out with her father. The results absolutely made her a believer in the product, having seen significant hair regrowth for her own father in just three months.

This experiment goes to show that, while we often question the efficiency of some of the products we see during CES, we aren’t the only ones. Even the employees of the companies themselves can be skeptical about whether or not their own products work as well as they are supposed to.

Follinic runs $699 and will be available through retail channels in the US soon. The company also offers a tonic and premium shampoo, both of which are designed to work together with the Follinic product to improve the results. For more information on the product line, check out the website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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RoboEatz ARK 3 automates the kitchen of a restaurant @ CES 2021



RoboEatz robotic kitchenFor small restaurants around the world, like most businesses, one of the largest costs is payroll. The real problem for restaurants is that margins are usually razor thin. Over the past few years, many restaurants, especially here in the United States, have been looking at what can be done to reduce payroll costs. Many fast food and chain restaurants have added ordering kiosks and at-table computers. However, the place that could really reduce cost is in the kitchen. In addition to the cost of labor, there is also food waste. RoboEatz has developed a robot that can help with both of these issues – the ARK 3.

The RoboEatz ARK 3 is a full kitchen automation system that can replace the kitchen staff and equipment of almost any restaurant. It takes up only 200 square feet and can serve 1000 meals without needing to be replenished. That replenishment process is also easy, as the system is able to use its sensors to determine when supplies are needed and place the order itself.

The first concern of any restaurant owner is the ability to maintain their menu and customer relationship. Implementing new technology that ruins your brand image is not going to be a win. ARK 3 allows you to create and fully customize your recipes, meaning you can keep your food exactly as it is. Even better, through the system’s mobile app, customers and servers can easily adjust their order, including ordering partial portions.

On top of the cooking process, ARK 3 also takes care of all of the cleanup. In fact, the process takes place between each and every order, eliminating cross contamination. This means that it can prepare and cook regular dishes and vegan dishes without any issues.

The company is currently working to build a prototype restaurant to show off the robot, while also working with other restaurants to implement the technology in the future. For more information on the ARK 3, check out the company’s website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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BenjiLock is protecting many aspects of your daily life @ CES 2021



BenjiLock biometric locksSince its first outing at CES 2017, Robbie Cabral, founder of BenjiLock, has consistently worked to bring his vision of a more convenient and more secure world to reality. Our team has had the privilege of following his journey, from concept to Shark Tank and Hampton Products to today.

Last year, just before the world came to a halt, Robbie stopped by our studio to discuss upcoming products. While 2020 took a toll on the timeline of these new products, Robbie and the team at Hampton Products have managed to bring all of these products to market for 2021.

Our favorite new product last year was the BenjiLock Door Lock. In fact, we liked it so much, we secure our office and studio with one. We were in good company, as the product received a CES Innovation Award last year. This product merges the best of both companies, with BenjiLock’s fingerprint reading technology combined with the long history of security products made by Hampton Products. Honestly, we have really enjoyed the convenience of the fingerprint reader for entrance by our team. We added to it the Hampton Push-Pull-Rotate doorknob, so even with our hands full of equipment, we can open the door.

Coming at a close second was the new bike lock. When exercising, I always try to carry as little as possible, and that includes my keys. Being able to lock a bicycle while out without the need for a key is ideal for my experience. It seems like I cannot be the exception, but likely closer to the rule. Anyone wearing proper cycling gear will find it difficult to store a key for any lock, let alone their bike.

The BenjiLock Bike Lock is available for $79.99 and the Door Lock is available for $159.99. To find out what colors are available, to make a purchase, or to learn more about the BenjiLock product line, check out the company’s website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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