This is getting to be a bit of seasonal tradition, a preview of what I expect to see and experience at CES. Let’s start with the important stuff: This year, I plan to revert to a single 3-day assault pack for the trip. Nothing says, “Three lean days in Vegas” more than packing everything into one backpack. I’ve learned my lessons over the years: CES is spread across the city and a 14” roller bag on the days of arrival and departure becomes unwieldy.
Now, let’s talk about technology. The watchwords, as we have discussed over the past several years, are “using technology meaningfully.” And that’s not to say that the wall-size OLED TV does not have value, or that the high-end A/V systems or cameras on display don’t have their place in the market. Rather, we wear different lenses and ask ourselves throughout the event, “How will this make a difference in rural spaces?”
Chevrolet struck a chord last month with a commercial that it created with the Alzheimer's Association. Clocking in at nearly five-and-a-half minutes, the short film focuses on reminiscence therapy – in this context, a drive through town past old familiar places while John Denver’s "Sunshine on My Shoulders" plays from the 8-track. Reminiscence therapy (RT) combines discussions of memories and past experiences with prompts that may include music, photographs or visiting places. Current studies indicate that it can have positive effects on cognition, communication and mood for people with dementia. Although one study found that the effects were “small,” it found that they could be seen for weeks to months later in patients. RT is a focus point for Rendever, a telehealth firm that will be sharing its work at CES. Rendever focuses on the elder care market and is used to support RT and shared group experiences using VR platforms.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and smart home tech are also in the line-up for CES. These, too, offer promise for telehealth and elder care. Using unobtrusive sensors, smart homes guided by AI can “learn” users’ ADL (activities of daily life) habits and signal an alarm when normative thresholds are bypassed or not met. More sophisticated than simple fall detection technology, these devices can identify changes in users’ posture and motion. And, since several chronic diseases affect patients’ self-perceptions of space, these platforms can raise early flags to signal a need for medical intervention. Strategic deployment of these technologies can enable seniors to remain in their homes longer.
I know. It’s CES. It’s Vegas. There should be something fun going on. And there will be that, too. Gaming and esports will take a main stage at CES, reflecting the anticipated climb to $48.6 billion market share that video games are expected to command. Food tech and ag tech will be featured, as well. And generative AI will be a hot topic, too. If we want to depress CES with Washington, D.C., then we can discuss House and Senate agreement just this week on new AI rules that are part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
It will be a lot to pack into a few days a CES. Broadband enabled apps continue to open new doors, especially those that lead to new opportunities for rural spaces. Or, “What happens in Vegas, helps rural spaces.”