WTF: 9 of the weirdest gadgets from CES 2019
From smart planks of wood to intelligent bogs, a fine collection of truly bonkers tech
Think rollable televisions and foldable phones are bizarre? That’s nothing. Lurking in the corners of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas are some real oddball gadgets.
As well as all the glamorous launches from all the big players in the tech world, CES provides a stage for companies big and small from around the globe to showcase their latest products before they hit the big time, and often, these can be niche, a bit strange and probably won’t make it to market.
With that, we’ve rounded up some of the coolest yet weirdest things we encountered while scouring the long halls of the colossal Las Vegas Convention Centre. Brace yourselves…
Omron’s Forpheus ping-pong playing robot
Resembling an extra from War of the Worlds, this quite daunting-looking bot can not only thrash you at a game of table tennis, but it will also record your every move, learn your movements, figure out your weaknesses and then drill you on them, ensuring you improve in the right places.
It can’t do anything about your foul attitude when you keep losing though…
Willow smart breast pump
Not something you see everyday: a smart, hands-free breast pump that allows mums to get on with their day without being tethered to a wall while they squeeze out baby’s next meal.
The two cups simply slip inside a bra so the wearer is free to roam around – ‘Look baby! No hands!’.
It also has a companion iOS/Android app to track how much liquid has been collected, which is stored inside in small, freezable pouches. Smart.
JAXJOX connected kettlebell
Just about everything is connected in the gym these days, so why leave out the kettlebell?
It might have a name that makes you wince just saying it, but after consuming ten too many burgers in Vegas, JaxJox’s £300 smart kettlebell caught our attention at CES.
As you’d expect, it’ll keep track of your reps, sets and workout time through a connected app – then pop it on its charging base and you can change its weight from between 6kg and 20kg, so no need to buy multiple units. A dream for space-poor fitness fanatics.
Lovot companion robot
From the makers of one of the most iconic modern day robots, Pepper, this “companion bot” is all about about making people feel less lonely.
Acting a little like a needy puppy, Lovot buzzes around autonomously on wheels, batting it’s fluffy wings when it wants to be picked up and hugged. When it does, its wheels will tuck inside, making it more comfortable to hold, and a head-mounted camera will recognise you and make eye contact with its googley peepers, all in a bid to make you feel more loved.
More weird than wonderful, this one.
Somnox Sleep Robot
If we told you that holding onto an oversized peanut covered in fabric that mimics breathing motions would help you sleep, you’d be pretty dubious, right?
Well, startup Somnox has created exactly that in the form of Sleep Robot, which it says will help you to sleep faster, longer and wake up more refreshed. It does this by imitating the rise and fall motion of a slowly-breathing chest, which in turn relaxes you, slows your breathing to the same rate and thus focuses your attention while playing soothing sounds.
No idea what it does once you’re snoring, and that’s what worries us…
TouchPoint stress relievers
These non-invasive neuroscientific wearables use a technology called BLAST to relieve stress by over 70% in just 30 seconds.
To prove its vibrating wearables actually work, TouchPoint scanned our brain before and after using them. And as you can see from the data, they did manage to reduce the levels of stress (in red) on the right frontal lobe. Well, until we made our way back into the CES scrum…
Purrsong LavvieBot smart litter box
Cats are but an endless joy, the sweet purring, the chin tickles and just getting on with their business. Now onto the topic of business…
Cleaning a cat litter box is probably the worst part of any cat-owner’s day; there’s a lot of unpleasantness involved. However, US company PurrSong feels your pain and has launched a self-cleaning litter box called LavvieBot, which automates everything, meaning you only have to empty it every 2 to 3 weeks thanks to its auto-refilling system.
And you can even set it to send you a text when your cat has done its business. That’ll trump all your colleagues in the ‘weirdest notifications’ contest.
Kohler Numi 2.0 intelligent toilet
Mui smart display
Nothing says weird like a connected plank of wood, especially one with a touch sensitive display. But the wildest thing is that it’s expected to cost up to $1,000 (£785).
However, it does do more than looking elegant on your wall. It comes with touch-control functions and displays visual data such as a thermostat, weather information, light dimmer controls, and even access to your voicemail.
Lee Bell
Freelance contributor 
