Scaled-down gadgets show in Las Vegas goes virtual

Health and wellness, 5G, autonomous driving, clean energy and artificial intelligence remain hot in this year's Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, which began on Monday in Las Vegas as an all-virtual event because of the rampant COVID 19 pandemic.

The 269,400-square-meter exhibition hall is vacant. The number of exhibitors this year has shrunk by more than half compared with last year's 4,419.

Industry heavyweights such as Google, Ford, Toyota and Honda, which occupied much of the exhibit space in previous years, declined to participate this time.

Still, the 1,967 exhibitors from around the world have brought their disruptive technologies and products, showcasing the spirit of innovation with their tech breakthroughs.

Among them are 203 representing China, albeit just a fraction of the nearly 2,000 that showed up last year.

"Tech innovations connect us. They can inform us, keep us safe, and yes, help unite us," said Karen Chupka, senior vice-president of the Consumer Technology Association, the sponsor of the CES.

One of the highlights this year, according to CES organizers, is that many tech giants have shifted their focus to health, wellness and workplace-safety.

To combat the novel coronavirus and help bring a pandemic-shattered world back to normal, many companies have joined forces with the government to quickly launch much-needed products and services.

Philips, the Netherlands-based conglomerate, is attempting to redefine the way people seek care outside of hospital settings through interactive, virtual telehealth technologies.

The immersive patient-doctor digital collaboration enables at-risk individuals to avoid contracting the virus while still engaging in tele-dentistry and receiving virtual care and treatment at home.

Google, in an effort to alleviate the mental stress of veterans during the pandemic, is launching a website that monitors their emotional and mental well-being round the clock.

Buzzword of year

5G remains one of the buzzwords this year. Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg in his CES kickoff speech Monday called the mobile technology the "framework of the 21st century".

Vestberg said he believes it is an essential technology now and for the accelerated tech of the future. The technology is expected to benefit the global community through its use in fields such as telemedicine and tele-education.

Although it is not going to replace 4G infrastructure overnight, 5G is forecast to become mainstream in the future and will play an increasingly important role underpinning endpoints such as smart gadgets, smart home, autonomous driving and more in order to provide real-time communications and data transfer.

The pandemic has prompted changes in the interface between consumer electronics and their users. The trend of more individuals working from home requires technology to equip electronics with functions blended for work, home and entertainment use.

The China-based TV manufacturer Hisense on Monday released its new range of laser TV short-throw projectors.

Hisense vice-president Fisher Yu said Hisense TV now can be transformed to a platform that contains display tech, AiOT (artificial intelligence of things) tech and a cloud service.

The screen can be used for remote education, family fitness instruction, and gaming.