What’s hot at CES ’23?

Pinned as one of the most important events in the tech calendar, CES (or the Consumer Electronics Show) brought together innovators from over 170 countries for three days in Las Vegas at the start of January. Offering attendees the first look at next-gen technology in 41 categories including smart home gadgets, TVs, cars and phones, thousands of tech-lovers and potential consumers poured over the latest innovations in the sector. With reams of announcements and updates to choose from, Diffusion has hand-picked six of the most exciting ‘big reveals’ from companies working across some of the most exciting areas in tech.

ASKA A5, the flying car

No doubt much to the delight of many of our inner children, the flying car is finally here! The ASKA A5 is a fully electric, four-seater car the size of a four-seater SUV which can fly up to 250 miles. The prototype can take off on a runway or vertically in less than five seconds which has been likened to the performance of an F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier. Set to revolutionise the way we travel, the US start-up is currently taking pre-orders and is confident about its upcoming launch in 2026.

Withings U-Scan, the health-monitoring toilet sensor

The last three years have been huge for health companies helping consumers keep track of their health through sensitive wearable devices. Withings, the French consumer electronics company, unveiled its latest product at CES which is a urine-analysing toilet sensor. Available in Europe in the first half of 2023, one version of the product will be able to monitor users’ nutrition and metabolic information such as kidney health whilst the other will allow people to track their menstrual cycles and let them know when their fertility is likely at its highest.

Samsung’s Flex Hybrid, the shape-shifting phone

Four years on from Samsung’s first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, the company has debuted its flexible screen concept with a new phone which can slide and fold to change its size. Signalling a new era of design for smartphones and tablets, many consumer tech experts were excited to view some of these mock-ups in person after an initial announcement from the company earlier in January.

Acer eKinekt BD3 the smart bike desk (pictured, top)

In the era of ‘new ways of working’, of course we were impressed by Acer’s take on a Peloton-cum-smart desk which allows users to cycle and generate electricity to charge their devices. The tech giant unveiled this innovation to a largely positive reception. With an LCD display which gives consumers information about the distance, speed and calories burned per session, as well as self—generating power through kinetic energy, this new take on wellness at work is likely to impress both health and sustainability enthusiasts. It is also made from recycled plastic – sign us up!

Citizen CZ, the smartwatch tracking alertness

Smart watches enjoyed a few years in the sun but have recently been calling out for innovation. Far beyond simply telling us the time, Citizen’s new CZ smartwatch uses tools based on research from the NASA Ames Research Center to track wearers’ fatigue and alertness levels. It does this by measuring factors such as sleeping patterns, heart rate and energy levels to provide an accurate analysis of how users are feeling each day as well as using this data to recommend personalised ways to improve your alertness in its accompanying app.