. 24/7 Space News .
SPACE TRAVEL
What's hot and what's not at Berlin's IFA tech fair
By Daphne ROUSSEAU
Berlin (AFP) Sept 5, 2017


The wackiest innovations at Berlin's IFA 2017
Berlin (AFP) Sept 3, 2017 - Europe's biggest electronics show IFA is in full swing in Berlin, and alongside the familiar televisions and smartphones its aisles are bursting with gadgets on the stranger side.

Here's a look at some of the most eye-catching inventions:

- DIY cyborg -

Long the province of amateur "biohackers", some firms are trying to take chips you can implant into your own body at home mainstream. A simple kit includes a sterile syringe and surgical gloves, allowing buyers to insert -- pain-free, according to the manufacturer -- a tiny chip into their finger that could replace car keys or the gym fob or even be used to store sensitive personal data. Digiwell, from 75 euros.

- A dog's life -

A small device that attaches to a canine companion's collar offers training tips, based on readings of his vital signs and movements. And with a GPS chip on board, there's no chance of Rover roving too far. Jagger & Lewis, from 99 euros ($117).

- Couples therapy -

The US-based manufacturers have already sold 25,000 of these tiny devices, which look like a pebble connected to a tiny computer. Once placed under a pillow, this marital miracle worker uses its sensors to detect loud snoring and vibrates to gently shift the pillow into a different position. The idea is to change the orientation of the throat and nasal passages to cut down on the worst of the noise -- and potentially save your relationship. Smart Nora, from 250 euros.

- Recycling, sorted -

French inventors have come up with a little scanner users can clip to the side of their rubbish bin. It reads the barcode on whatever you're about to throw away and tells you where the item belongs in the recycling -- glass, plastic or cardboard. And to keep users coming back, the device offers prolific scanners reward points that can be used for online shopping. Eugene, from 79 euros.

- Robo-Lego -

Sony is developing what could be the ultimate construction toy that will allow techy kids armed with tablets to programme and control networked blocks hooked up to a small motor. Building a walking robotic dinosaur with fearsome snapping jaws could be a few lines of code away. Still in the prototype stage.

- Bye bye, laundry night -

Another prototype from Panasonic, this wardrobe will wash, dry and fold away the laundry -- all without a hint of human intervention. Users just place dirty clothes on a shelf, from where they're whisked into the built-in washing machine, dried, then folded by robotic arms.

- Iron jaw -

Electric muscle stimulation may be familiar to those desperate for washboard abs, but what about those who are self-conscious about their necks? In just 60 seconds a day, the inventors of this device promise to tone up your throat and chin muscles with painless electric pulses. Rio Toner, from 75 euros.

- Airborne selfie stick -

Rather than lug around a cumbersome telescopic pole for those must-snap moments, why not a drone complete with HD camera that fits in the palm of your hand? The smartphone-controlled chopper can reach heights of 20 metres (65 feet). Airselfie, from 249 euros.

- Cooked to perfection -

German domestic appliance maker Miele has perfected what it calls an "intelligent oven" that detects what sort of food has been placed inside and adapts the cooking process to match, based on a database of recipes. The cooker promises a perfect leg of lamb with crunchy asparagus and melt-in-the-mouth potatoes, all without having to open the door once. Dialog Oven, on sale in 2018.

Berlin's IFA technology fair, Europe's largest and a bellwether for the Christmas season, draws to a close Wednesday. Here is a quick overview of what's hot and what's not in the aisles.

- On the out -

- Tablets: the fever that greeted Apple's launch of the iPad in 2010 has long dissipated. Smartphones boast increasingly large screens and high performance in a handier package than the not-quite-laptop devices.

- Energy efficiency: "It was a big topic in 2008, it remains important, but most devices conform to regulations now, we think it's time to turn to other things," said Reinhard Zinkann of Germany's Miele. As for phones, "it's become standard to recharge your phone overnight, now the idea is that there should be no need to charge it during the day," said Raoul de Gelis of Sony Mobile.

- Virtual reality: passion about the immersive headsets has faded from the levels seen in 2015 and 2016. Hardware remains pricey at around 500 euros ($550), restricting VR to true gaming enthusiasts. "The VR market has been held back in 2017 by very limited supply of the OLED display panels needed," said IHS analyst Ian Fogg, suggesting 2018 may be the breakthrough year as more mobile users will be able to try out the tech.

- Photography: digital cameras are thin on the ground at IFA, as high-performance smartphone snappers crowd them out and the mania for instantly sharing lunch, travel and selfie shots on social networks rages unabated.

- On the rise -

- Mixed reality: this technology blends virtual reality with the real world, as computer-generated images are added to the user's field of vision while they wear special glasses or a headset. Acer, Asus, Dell and Lenovo were all showing off headsets this year, while Microsoft announced a version of Windows compatible with the devices.

- Activity trackers: enthusiasm for the trailblazers of the wearable technology world shows no signs of fading, with more gadgets than ever on offer to count steps, swimming strokes, water intake or calories burned -- or to prod you about your health goals. Samsung and Fitbit placed their fitness wearables centre stage at IFA.

- Connected speakers: Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple HomePod all offer networked speakers that respond to voice commands -- with research suggesting the market is set to balloon in the coming years. Sony's version with no buttons at all could mean the future of choosing music is all vocal.

- Male grooming: IFA's aisles used to host hairdryer or straightener demonstrations, but a growing number of brands are targeting style-conscious men. Bracelets, glasses and smart glasses are in vogue, while a cavalcade of devices promises to help maintain an immaculate beard.

- Vinyl records: In a vintage touch, record players are back on the scene at IFA, with pride of place going to Technics' SP-10R -- touted as the best-ever turntable from the legendary DJ equipment maker. A quirky offer from Thomson attaches to the wall and plays records vertically.

'Gifted' high-tech takes spotlight at Berlin's IFA fair
Berlin (AFP) Aug 30, 2017 - The gadgets on display at Berlin's mega consumer electronics fair this week may not look radically different, but they are smarter than ever before and designed to meet our every need -- often before we've even thought of it ourselves.

As smartphones and other electronic devices make greater use of artificial intelligence (AI), the digital assistants already pervasive in our lives are set to become more intuitive and play a bigger role in our homes, observers said.

The humble television, overshadowed in recent years as viewers streamed their favourite shows on tablets and phones, is also poised for a comeback with better-than-ever screen quality and online applications.

This year's IFA is all about "AI to make our daily life easier," Klaus Boehm of consultancy Deloitte said ahead of the annual trade show which kicks off Friday.

Boehm pointed to Amazon's and Google's voice-controlled speakers that can answer questions, turn off the lights and do our online shopping as examples of the "smart home" trend.

And in the race to be the smartest, developers are focussing less on hardware and more on intelligent software to woo consumers.

A so-called innovations "hub" resembling a university library will take pride of place at the conference venue, where researchers, developers and start-ups will give fairgoers a glimpse of the gadgets of the future.

Such is the emphasis on AI this year that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei, the world's third largest, will use the IFA stage not to present a new model but to unveil its first personal assistant, Kirin, which it hopes will rival the dominance of Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and Samsung's Bixby.

From offering restaurant recommendations before you've realised you're hungry to asking if you'd like your usual coffee after your alarm goes off, life without smart aides will fast become unthinkable, observers predict.

As the long-promised revolution of the "internet of things" is slowly making itself felt, IFA exhibitors are also set to showcase rubbish bins that know which items to recycle and fridges that can help you stick to your diet.

- 'Television not dead' -

Smart TVs that respond to voice commands and allow for easy on-demand viewing are expected to help reclaim the telly's place at the heart of the home as viewers are lured back with super-high-definition screens.

And of course, bigger is better.

"TV is not dead," said Roland Stehle of Germany's gfu federation for electronics firms, a co-organiser of the IFA trade show.

"People are buying bigger TV sets, so the picture sizes are increasing and it's necessary to have a high resolution."

IFA organisers are predicting a bumper year for television makers, as the latest OLED and Ultra-High Definition (UHD/4K) technologies become more affordable.

More geared towards the general public than its Las Vegas rival, the Consumer Electronics Show, IFA is known for lifting the veil on the must-have electronics most likely to end up under our Christmas trees.

"The demand for consumer electronics and household appliances is quite high, it's a good sign for IFA," said gfu president Hans-Joachim Kamp.

Sales in the global market for consumer electronics, including mobile phones, are forecast to reach some 887 billion euros ($1 trillion) in 2017, up four percent on the previous year, according to gfu data.

Some 240,000 visitors are expected at this year's fair, which runs until September 6, organisers said at a preview press conference Wednesday.

No major new announcements are expected in the smartphone arena as Apple traditionally skips IFA and Samsung already unveiled its latest high-end model last week, the Galaxy Note 8 that is supposed to banish memories of the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 and its exploding batteries.

Instead, Samsung plans to use IFA to showcase its newest offerings of smart wearables, the Gear Fit2 fitness bracelet and the Gear S4 smartwatch.

Having failed to live up to the initial hype, tech giants are betting that there is life in the wearables market yet.

The Gartner consultancy estimated earlier this month that wearable devices such as smart headphones, eyewear, clothing and watches will generate global revenues of some $30.5 billion this year.

And wireless headphones will become so standard that phones without audio jacks will become the norm, they said, a path already charted by Apple after it controversially ditched the 3.5-millimetre jack in the iPhone 7 last year.

"By 2021, we assume that almost all premium mobile phones will no longer have the 3.5 mm jack," said Angela McIntyre, author of the Gartner study.

SPACE TRAVEL
The wackiest innovations at Berlin's IFA 2017
Berlin (AFP) Sept 3, 2017
Europe's biggest electronics show IFA is in full swing in Berlin, and alongside the familiar televisions and smartphones its aisles are bursting with gadgets on the stranger side. Here's a look at some of the most eye-catching inventions: - DIY cyborg - Long the province of amateur "biohackers", some firms are trying to take chips you can implant into your own body at home mainstream ... read more

Related Links
Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SPACE TRAVEL
What's hot and what's not at Berlin's IFA tech fair

'Star Trek' actor Shatner sends message to Voyager

ESA retrieves NASA astronauts with new procedure in wake of hurricane

Record-breaking NASA astronaut comes back to Earth

SPACE TRAVEL
Rocket fever launches UB students to engineering competition in New Mexico

Kacific selects SpaceX to provide launch service

ISRO suspects pyro elements failed to separate rocket's heat shield

Ariane 5 rocket aborts Guiana lift-off in final seconds

SPACE TRAVEL
45 Kilometers on the Odometry for Opportunity

Discovery of boron on Mars adds to evidence for habitability

Life on Mars: Let's Try Oman Desert First for Space Mission

For Moratorium on Sending Commands to Mars, Blame the Sun

SPACE TRAVEL
China, Russia to Have Smooth Space Cooperation, Says Expert

Kuaizhou-11 to send six satellites into space

Russia, China May Sign 5-Year Agreement on Joint Space Exploration

ESA and Chinese astronauts train together

SPACE TRAVEL
ASTROSCALE Raises a Total of $25 Million in Series C Led by Private Companies

LISA Pathfinder: bake, rattle and roll

Bids for government funding prove strong interest in LaunchUK

Blue Sky Network Reaffirms Commitment to Brazilian Market

SPACE TRAVEL
New tools for exploring the surface of Mars

192 Indian space objects currently in orbit

Molecules move faster near sticky surfaces

Europe's biggest X-ray laser begins operations

SPACE TRAVEL
Climate change for aliens

X-Rays Reveal Temperament of Possible Planet-Hosting Stars

X-rays Reveal Temperament of Possible Planet-hosting Stars

Could TRAPPIST-1's Seven Earth-size Planets Have Gas Giant Siblings

SPACE TRAVEL
Jupiter's Auroras Present a Powerful Mystery

Pluto features given first official names

Juno Scientists Prepare for Seventh Science Pass of Jupiter

New Horizons Files Flight Plan for 2019 Flyby









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.