CES 2016 TREND RECAPJANURAY 6 t h -9 th

0301T H E N E W R E A L I T Y

B E Y O N D S C R E E N S

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0604A C C E S S O R I E S T H A T E M P O W E R

I N T E L L I G E N T R O B O T I C S

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01T H E N E W R E A L I T Y

VIRTUAL REALITY 01Presence + TechnologyOn a recent earnings call, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg called Virtual Reality (VR) the next evolution of computing. VR replicates an environment that simulates physical presence in a real or imagined world and VR was on full display at CES 2016.

Facebook owned Oculus was definitely a crowd pleaser as there were extended wait times to preview the Oculus Rift.

Pricing was announced at the show with the headset coming in at $599 Key Takeaways VR will enable brands and marketers to create immersive experiences. Oculus will serve as a high end solution for early adopters but the key to mass adoption will be portability of the units and accessibility to create content.

 

SENSOR ENHANCED VIRTUAL REALITY 01Controlled ImmersionAs virtual reality hits the consumer market in 2016, having the ability to refine the experience will be key.

Moving from passive to active viewing is one of the primary goals of VR experience creators.

The key to active VR engagement will be based on additional motion sensors that allow depth based interaction in the experience.

At CES 2016 the ecosystem of suppliers providing sensors to enhance the experience was on full display.  Key Takeaways As more brand marketers begin to experiment with virtual reality, it is important to realize that the experience should go beyond simply consuming content and strive to provide interactivity.

 

FULL BODY MOTION VIRTUAL REALITY 01Full Body ExperiencesGaming experiences will be a key area of focus for a number of VR based sensors as the goal is to create a seamless connection between the in-game content and the experience.

The Virtuix Omni full body motion VR experience definitely caught my attention. As seen on Shark Tank, gamers are strapped into a full body rig with sensor based weapons and an Oculus VR headset, the goal is to create a fully immersive active VR experience.  Key Takeaways For brand marketers considering strategic alliances with gaming properties, be mindful of solutions that also incorporate the Virtuix as it is a high impact engagement solution for Active VR that can be a fun way to demonstrate an innovative partnership.

 

EXPERIENTIAL VIRTUAL REALITY 01Experiential VRVirtual Reality and Experiential Marketing will go hand in hand and one of the big attention grabbers was Krush’s Moveo. Moveo is a free-rotation VR simulation pod. The consumer dons an Oculus Rift headset and experiences a deeply immersive experience.  Key Takeaways From Game Of Thrones at SXSW to Moveo at CES, brands can score big with immersive VR experiential experiences as consumers are intrigued by virtual reality and want to get a glimpse of the future. 

VIRTUAL REALITY COMMERCE 01Enterprise Ready VR SolutionsOne of the brand ready virtual reality solutions was Marxent’s Visual Commerce suite.

Their enterprise ready technology powers the Lowes Holoroom, which combines elements of 3D scanning, virtual reality as well as a hosted CMS & analytics package. The VR experiences feature e-commerce, related products, contextual hotspots and social sharing from within the experience.  Key Takeaways It is important to note that enterprise level services infrastructures are being built to support the integration of virtual and augmented reality to drive business results.

 

VIRTUAL REALITY SERVICES 01Virtual Reality Services On DisplayA lot of industry talk about Virtual Reality has focused on the hardware and various immersive content experiences.

For brand marketers, it is important to go beyond the hardware and look towards services that are being designed to gain engagement and deliver scale.

Voke VR provides live streaming of events through VR. Users can control the various camera angles and personalize the experience.

VRTIFY is focused on VR + Music and community by sharing, creating and experiencing music such as live concerts and more. VRTIFY features partnerships with Vevo and Spotify  Key Takeaways Look to leverage unique VR services that have the potential for mass consumer appeal.

 

MIXED REALITY 01Augmented + VirtualAlthough I was disappointed that Microsoft’s Hololens was not available during CES 2016, I was delighted to see the HTC Vive make an appearance.

With a front facing camera, you can shift from Virtual Reality (VR) to potential Augmented Reality (AR) based interactions.  Key Takeaways Creating mixed reality solutions that can be fully immersive (VR) with those that augment the physical world (AR) will be the future of computing. From a marketing perspective, being able to create immersive experiences then shift to digitally enhancing the real world will be key to deliver consistent and relevant content experiences.

 

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3D SCANNING 02Connecting Digital & Physical3D scanners were on full display. The scanners allow users to capture dense geometry in real-time.

I have been monitoring Occipital’s Structure Sensor for some time and got to experience it first hand at CES.

Structure allows the simulation of real world physics and the creation of 3D models as well as an SDK that allows for the creation of augmented reality solutions within the 3D scans. Key Takeaways Retailers can provide seamless representations of physical spaces and showcase how their products will potentially fit into a space. Product prototyping can be accelerated and creating connections between physical and digital can be rendered in seconds.

3D PRINTING 023D EverythingI was surprised by the amount of 3D printing solutions and providers that were present at CES 2016.

3DSystems provided the most comprehensive solution set that also aligned solutions by vertical.

From 3D scanning to printers to software, 3DSystems demonstrated the ability to provide end-to-end 3D printing solutions.  Key Takeaways From a brand marketing and innovation standpoint having the ability to rapidly prototype products, provide DIY services to early adopters as well as product personalization and mass customization are a few areas to consider beyond simply 3D printing brand swag.

VIRTUAL REALITY + 3D PRINTING 02VR + 3D PrintingOne of the most impressive demonstrations of VR + 3D printing was also found at the 3DSystems booth.

3DSystems acquired Simbionix in 2014. Simbionix is the global leader in 3D Virtual Reality Surgical Simulation and training.

Combined with their acquisition of Medial Modeling which provided 3D printed implants and a variety of 3D printed patient-specific medical devices showcases the breadth of VR + 3D services that 3DSystems can provide.  Key Takeaways Virtual Reality and 3D printing are revolutionizing surgery training and personalized medicine. For health related brand marketers it is important to support the education of the services and align with innovative partners to further create personalized medical solutions.

 

INTEGRATED 3D PRINTING 02Integrated Circuits + 3D Printing3D printing is evolving to also incorporate complex circuitry in the printing process. Voxel8 caught my attention as one of the first 3D solution providers to provide a fully integrated workflow. Their proprietary silver ink is 20,000x more conductive than the best conductive filled-thermoplastic. This allows them to 3D print with highly conductive ink.  Key Takeaways The potential for 3D printing highly integrated systems that allow for mass customization is a potential breakthrough to move 3D printing from fashionable to functional.

3D PHOTOS 02Your world in 3DIn order for mass adoption of new technology to occur, ease of use and value creation are key factors.

Products like Bevel check both boxes as it simply attaches to an existing mobile device and allows the creation of 3D photos.

Initially started as a Kickstarter project, Bevel will allow any smartphone user to create 3 dimensional photos for social sharing.  Key Takeaways Consumer created content is not going away anytime soon. By enabling consumers to use their existing devices to create new types of shareable content, Bevel could be a way to turn 2D images into 3D content.

03B E Y O N D S C R E E N S

FLEXIBLE DISPLAYS 03Bendable DisplaysFlexible displays have always held a certain sci-fi allure. Having a digital display that can be bent, rolled and shaped into many different form factors has a lot of marketing appeal.

LG showcased an 18-inch sheet of acetate film that was capable of being rolled like a newspaper.  Key Takeaways Thinking ahead, this type of display could revolutionize shopper marketing, as consumer brands could integrate flexible displays directly into clothing and other products, reducing consumer dependencies on mobile devices.

 

SCREENLESS VIEWING 03Screenless + ImmersiveImmersive experiences are the future and Avegant’s Glyph product is designed to create deeply immersive, theater quality experiences without the need of a traditional screen.

Glyph media wear is screenless and is based on new retinal imaging technology that is highly portable with a familiar design that looks like traditional headsets.  Key Takeaways In order for immersive experiences to truly become mainstream portability will be key. Glyph provides portability with a familiar form factor that makes the transition easier for consumers. Brand marketers should watch the adoption of products like Glyph closely, as they will fundamentally change how we consume media.

 

BRAIN MACHINE INTERFACE 03Thoughts Control ActionsOne of the more fascinating input devices was from the aptly named BrainCo.

Something you would expect to see in a sci-fi movie, BrainCo’s input device converts brain signals to control physical objects through a cutting edge algorithm from Harvard/MIT brain study labs

The use case applications are currently focused on controlling IoT based devices and as a medical grade wearable tied to prosthetics. Key Takeaways The neurofeedback training aspect of the platform is intriguing. For retailers jumping into the IoT space as well as healthcare related brand should take note as this product could be a value add to supporting campaigns or as a point of differentiation in the marketplace.

 

GeoLi -F i 03Light is the AnswerOne exhibit that stopped me in my tracks was Basic6’s product line based on leveraging Light as means of communication.

GeoLifi delivers targeted information to shoppers through GeoLifi LED lights. You can dynamically change messages and promotions and consumer data is streamed to a cloud based system to track users patterns and activity.  Key Takeaways GeoLifi works for both consumers and in-store associates as a means to creating a highly engaging experience based on where the user is located. No Beacons required as light and the existing infrastructure support the experience.

 

NEW FORMS OF COMPUTING 03Computing + Augmented RealityThe road paved by the failed Google Glass experiment has not hit a dead end. The idea of new form factors of computing were very alive at CES 2016.

ODG R-7 Glasses are the next evolution of personal computing as the glasses ARE the computing device. This also serves as a powerful 3D augmented reality HD rendering engine. The key is no cords needed – sensors, processors, displays and power are all self-contained. Key Takeaways By integrating the power of a tablet computer with the ability to digitally augment the real world, ODG’s approach reminds marketers that we have to consider content creation that is designed beyond the screen.

 

HOLOGRAMS 033D HologramsThe first company I wanted to see when the CES 2016 show floor opened was Kino-Mo.

Kino-Mo creates holo displays and they have partnered with brands such as Aston Martin, GE, Samsung and Intel.

Seeing a 3D hologram in mid-air definitely grabs your attention and has the potential for high impact with consumers.  Key Takeaways Traditionally hologram solutions were time-consuming, costly and required dedicated space. With Kino-Mo’s new approach to Holo displays, they have a system that is plug and play and quick to market.

 

HOLOGRAPHIC COMPUTING 03Mixing RealityHolographic computing is a form of augmented reality (AR) where users can spatially interact with digital overlays. A recent forecast from Citi analysts highlighted the future of the VR/AR industry, and their view is that AR technologies will be most likely to disrupt major digital markets.  Many organizations are exploring holographic computing solutions that can produce interactive holograms that augment the existing physical world.

One example from CES was the Holoseer prototype which combines AR & VR to mix reality.  Key Takeaways The potential application for brand marketers is incredibly exciting as AR represents a blank canvas against the physical world.  

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360 DEGREE VIDEO 04Empowering Content Creators360 degree video is hot right now. You see 360 video content on full display in Facebook’s newsfeed as well as on YouTube.

The next step is to enable consumers to easily create 360 degree content solutions.

One such solution at CES 2016 was 360 Heros. They showcased a comprehensive 360/VR workflow solutions.  Key Takeaways Enabling consumers with new and integrated technology has been the fastest driver of adoption. As the tools to create immersive experiences become accessible and are intuitive, we will begin to see consumer behavior shift to align with the technology.

 

VIRTUAL REALITY CAMERA 04Consumer Ready VRIn order for consumers to adopt VR it is important that they also have the ability to create their own immersive content.

HumanEyes Technology unveiled VUZE at CES 2016. It is claimed to be the first consumer portable 360 degree 3D VR camera and dedicated software studio that is set to bring immersive content creation to the masses.  Key Takeaways Priced at under $1000, it provides the ability to capture images and video as well as footage editing and playback. As more solutions are available to consumers, the potential for user created virtual reality content becomes a new frontier for immersive advocacy driven content.

 

CONVERT EXISTING TO SMART 04Upgrade Your WorldOne of the key trends I observed at CES 2016 is the focus on converting existing items into smart devices.

One example is Samsungs TipTalk. It is a Smart Strap that converts a traditional watch into a smart device. It then enables notifications, activity tracking, as well as take calls from your finger!  Key Takeaways By understanding that consumers already have existing versions of products that are not “smart” it is possible to find the right form of utility to provide a means to upgrade items through key strategic partnerships.

 

GESTURE BASED INTERFACES 04Motion Controlled ConnectionsWearables of all types were crowd pleasers at various trade shows in 2015, but to date most wearables have primarily served as passive data collection devices. This year, the progression of gesture-based interfaces is one to watch. An example is MOTA DOI Gesture control ring. The simplicity of Ring and its ability to interface across devices is one example of a gesture-based interface. Key Takeaways Gesture-based interfaces could provide a fun and engaging way for marketers to connect physical to digital worlds allowing consumers to interactive with everyday electronics without ever having to touch a device.

DRONES + V IRTUAL REALITY 04Unmanned SystemsYou cannot talk about CES 2016 and not mention the sheer volume of unmanned systems or Drones that were on display.

This year the focus was on efficiency, longer flight times as well as connecting drone technology to Virtual Reality.

I witnessed Adawarp’s demo of virtual reality drone viewing first hand and drones are going to play a key part in the creation of immersive experiences. Key Takeaways With the prices coming down and the quality of the cameras and processors increasing, encouraging consumer created drone content as well as creating immersive experiences through drones is a key area to consider.

CONNECTED F ITNESS SYSTEMS 04Presence + TechnologyDuring CES 2016 Under Armour revealed the Healthbox. Under Armour’s approach is less about an individual fitness wearable and more about creating a comprehensive health system that can monitor you 24/7.

The Healthbox includes a chest strap that monitors heart rate, a wristband and a circular scale. The wristband is designed to be worn all day, similar to a fitbit. All of the items will then work seamlessly with the UA Record app.  Key Takeaways We work closely with the Under Armour team and it is possible to leverage their connected fitness community to create compelling and contextually relevant campaigns in partnership with the Under Armour team.

 

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ALL IN ONE HOME HUB 05Interoperability Is KeyOne of the key missing elements in today’s smart home solutions is the ability to aggregate all of the systems and manage the notifications that are created.

The B.One smart hub definitely caught my attention. With over 10 years of development and the ability to seamlessly integrate with multiple types of IoT systems, this hub seems to have the potential to scale with IoT solutions.  Key Takeaways The B.One also boasts a proprietary algorithm that enables learning of the user’s behavior. The B.One gets smarter and updates it’s knowledge-base with each use and will begin to anticipate and predict key activities. IoT Smart Home data will be key to unlocking consumer behavior in the home.

 

LOWES IR IS SMART HUB 05HUB + APP + EcosystemDIY was a macro trend at this years CES and no other organization at the show supports DIY like Lowes. Lowes showcased the Iris smart hub and it’s comprehensive ecosystem of 3rd party products.

Iris is Lowes IoT smart hub for the home. Iris is the heart of an extensive system of devices that are managed through a users smart phone. There is a premium plan that allows additional notification triggers and activity logs.  Key Takeaways There is an arms race to be at the center of the connected home. This then becomes the center-point of data aggregation and access point to connected devices. Lowes has an advantage the sheer number of devices that are compatible with the system.

 

LG SMARTTHINQ 05LG Home AutomationLG garnered a lot of attention with their 8K televisions and flexible displays. But it was their Smart Home Hub SmartThinQ that caught my attention.

The LG SmartThinQ hub can pair with appliances, as well as stream music and display information like calendar events, reminders and weather.  Key Takeaways Similar to the Amazon Echo, it is striving to become the centerpiece that controls the home. With a display that can serve different types of notification and content, it is yet another way to deliver contextual content and services to consumers.

 

ROBOTIC SMART HOME 05Robots In The HomeMy belief is that ultimately artificial intelligence solutions will become the central hub in the smart home. In the interim, smart home robotics can serve as a bridge.

An example is the FURO-I Home robot. This smart home services robot allows users to control all home appliances and numerous services related to daily care, security, entertainment, and telepresence.

Key Takeaways For digital marketers, AI and Robotic driven smart homes open new possibilities for delivering highly contextual content and could serve as an access point into IoT-based behavioral data.

 

06I N T E L L I G E N T R O B O T I C S

ARTIF ICIAL INTELLIGENCE 06Intelligent Robotics I am very interested in the evolution of emotive robotics and artificial intelligence. Most of the robots from previous shows were single function robots, think Roomba or toy robots. This year featured robotics that integrated artificial intelligence with robotics to create systems that are self aware and responsive to our needs. Patin from Flower robotics was one such robot that is also focused on creating a 3rd party ecosystem to further drive the customization of the platform. Key Takeaways Artificial intelligence will revolutionize how we are manage large sets of data and connect with the content that is the most relevant to us. Understanding how the systems develop will be key to aligning with system centric marketing of the future.

AI + CONNECTED CARS 06Connected CarsConnected Car Technology was a big part of CES 2016. Most of the focus was on autonomous vehicles, enhancing gesture controls, voice recognition and new form factors. Toyota stood out to me as they recently launched the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) that is focused on research and development of artificial intelligence for automobiles, robotics and scientific discovery with a commitment of over $1 billion dollars over the next five years.  Key Takeaways One change this year was the focus on the technology that enables connected experiences vs. the integrated features of the vehicles themselves. It is important to consider key strategic partnerships with technology providers as a means to further connect with new groups of consumers.

EMOTIVE ROBOTICS 06iRobot???Emotive robotics is based on systems and devices that can recognize, interpret, process, and simulate elements of human behavior. We’re on the cusp of emotive robotics entering the home in 2016. Avatar Minds iPal had the ideal form factor and basic principles such as the ability to teach, entertain and interact through natural language dialog, autonomous movement and facial recognition.

iPal also features an open developer approach to 3rd party development.  Key Takeaways For digital marketers, emotive robotics opens up new possibilities for delivering highly contextual content.

MODULAR ROBOTICS 06Endless PossibilitiesI am always on the lookout for scalable solutions that can meet a number of use cases. When I came across KEYi Technologies approach to modular robotics, it definitely caught my attention.  KEYi’s CellRobot is a customizable modular robot that can be assembled in hundreds of combinations to perform a multitude of tasks. Key Takeaways Modular robotics are a key area to monitor for marketing application in the future. The flexibility of the platform allows for creative solutions to be created that can support experiential as well as retail campaigns.

TELEPRESENCE ROBOTS 06Enabling TelepresenceTelepresence is a key selling point to a lot of robotic systems that are coming on the market.

One early entrant was Double Robotics Double 2. I actually used a Double 2 for a period of time over the last year and can attest to the fact that the interface as well as the stability of the platform were impressive.  Key Takeaways There are a number of potential use cases tied to telepresence. Brand marketers can provide access to exclusive events through the Double 2 allowing consumers to be in control in how they interact with the experience.

ADVERTIS ING ROBOTS 06Advertising RobotsOne of the more humorous robots that were on display was the Furo-D smart ad robot. FURo-D is an advertising media platform based robot that provides a number of advertising services, utility through information, social interaction through campaign activation as well as a photo and POS printer integrated into one robotic unit.

Key Takeaways The combination of smart displays with robotics is a unique form factor to activate campaigns in large crowds. It grabs your attention and the ability to customize content experiences in addition to it’s intelligent communication service including facial recognition and sensor recognized motions make this an interesting option for smart display.

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