2018 TECH TREND REPORT

RazerPROJECT LINDA

Why do we love it?

Project Linda blends technology from two worlds, creating a single product that goes beyond that of previously developed concepts. With Razer’s typical dazzle, they’ve combined their recently released Razer smartphone (angled primarily towards gamers) and a high-end laptop shell (including a 13.3-inch “Quad HD” 2560 x 1440 display and 200GB of built-in storage) for a unique hybrid blend of technology.

Still in its infancy, Project Linda is just that; a refined prototype that looks like it’s ready for production. We always get excited about new and emerging tech, especially from the big players in the space. Look for Razer to take next steps towards getting this product in the hands of their biggest fans.

https://www.razerzone.com/projectlinda

PhynSMART WATER SENSING SYSTEM

Why do we love it?

Phyn smart water sensing system for your home provides the peace of mind you need while at home or away. Not only does this system monitor your water usage, but it also learns how your family uses water and can predict early signs of leaks, protecting your home and your wallet.

Phyn takes a new approach at home water usage and monitoring. Rather than trying to be reactive, Phyn shoots to be proactive. Through

machine learning, Phyn can predict and determine when unusual water consumption is the cause of a water leak, or just heavy water usage. Indirectly, Phyn is not just helping to protect your home, but it’s also

protecting the environment. How cool is that?

http://www.phyn.com/

BenjiLockPADLOCK WITH FINGERPRINT READER Why do we love it?

Ever heard of an idea and thought to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Well, BenjiLock is that idea. In fact, BenjiLock has become so popular and successful that one of the world’s most well-known hardware and security brands, Hampton Products International, has acquired rights to the product in North America. The first traditional lock and key with integrated fingerprint sensor, BenjiLock is providing value to an industry that remains largely low-tech/no-tech.

The story behind BenjiLock immediately hit us right in the feels. In 2014, Robbie Cabral’s daughter was born. That same day he lost his job. Through a whirlwind of emotionally challenging times, Robbie’s idea of creating a traditional lock with integrated fingerprint sensor was born. The BenjiLock is innovation at its finest, under unwanted circumstances and difficult times. You might be down, but you’re not out!

https://benjilock.com/

Cocoon CamCOCOON CAM BABY MONITOR

Why do we love it?

The Cocoon Cam baby monitor is not your typical baby monitor. The alien-looking device that sits above your baby’s crib uses machine learning through vision systems and sound recording to keep

an eye on your baby when you can’t. Cocoon developed a unique monitoring system capable of detecting breathing, crying, and amount of activity using a live HD video feed directly to

your phone. The automatic night vision, two-way audio and instant notifications give mom and dad the peace of mind they need for a restful night of sleep (well, sort of).

Cocoon Cam takes a unique approach at solving an age-old concern through advanced technologies. Machine learning is quickly becoming commonplace among many industries

and products, especially those at home. Baby monitoring is directly benefiting from this and will likely continue to improve beyond our wildest imaginations.

https://cocooncam.com/

SirenDIABETIC SOCKS

Why do we love it?

Siren Diabetic Socks are designed to track and monitor the health of your loved ones who suffer from the disease. Specifically developed to find and detect early signs of diabetic foot injuries, Siren is capable of preventing amputations, giving the user the ability to monitor their health through sensors connected to a mobile app.

These diabetic socks are the epitome of what Optimal Design stands for, “Innovate for life.” Not only is Siren helping diabetic patients gain confidence in keeping a pulse on their level of health, they’re also potentially

saving lives and giving those in need the opportunity to spend another day with family and friends.

https://siren.care/

Petrics Inc.SMART PET BED & PET HEALTH ECOSYSTEM

Why do we love it?

Ever wondered how healthy your pet really is? With Petrics Smart Pet Bed and Pet Health Ecosystem, you now have the ability to track your pet’s weight, activity and offer climate control, to ensure your pet’s diet is achieving the optimal weight ranges for their breed and age. The bed also connects to the Petrics exclusive Activity Tracker to identify the right pet for the bed and track their caloric burn rate, rest levels, and other health metrics.

We love our pets. Among all the smart pet applications available in the market, this one makes the most sense to us. Using the Petrics mobile app, you can now keep track of their food intake and look at whether you’ve been feeding them the right food based on their personal metrics. With over 53% of pets being overweight, this Smart Pet Bed and Pet Health Ecosystem seems to be more of a necessity rather than a luxury.

https://www.petrics.com/

Sproutel & AflacMY SPECIAL AFLAC DUCK

Why do we love it?

A collaboration between robotic toy company Sproutel and Aflac, the My Special Aflac Duck features a slew of sensors and wireless technology to help children cope

with cancer treatments. Young patients interact with their duck through 1 of it’s 5 touch sensors, RFID accessory

tags, or included emoji discs to describe their emotions with the duck mirroring their interaction to remind them

they are not alone in their fight.

A departure from the typical flashy hardware seen at CES My Special Aflac Duck is a piece of technology

that truly serves the greater good.

https://www.sproutel.com/products.html

KohlerKONNECT VERDERA MIRROR Why do we love it?Bath and Kitchen leader Kohler unveiled their own suite of smart home products, Kohler Konnect, including the intelligent Verdera Mirror. The Verdera Mirror serves as the Alexa-enabled hub for the Kohler Konnect ecosystem of products including a smart bathtub, shower, and kitchen faucet. Homeowners can listen to their morning news, check out their commute, and control other smart home devices all while getting ready for the day. Verdera also detects motion and emits a soft, welcoming glow as you approach it.

Verdera’s elegant design and delightful user experience make it an instant hit for any smart home enthusiast. We love the power of voice services and Kohler’s implementation provides users with an enriched and personalized morning experience. It is no surprise that the Verdera Mirror was awarded as an Honoree for the 2018 CES Innovation Awards.

https://www.us.kohler.com/us/smarthome/content/smarthome.htm

L’OrealUV SENSE

Why do we love it?

Global beauty leader L’Oreal continued it’s tradition of sun safety products with the release of the UV Sense. The UV Sense is the world’s first battery-free wearable electronic UV sensor, providing consumers with important information about their ultraviolet exposure levels. The device is less than two millimeters thick, fits on your thumbnail, and is able to store up to 3 months of data.

With wearables being one of the core focuses of our organization we love to see industry leaders continuing to push the envelope with form factor and new technologies. With research showing that overexposure to UV rays is a top health and beauty concern for consumers worldwide the UV Sense is poised to make a great impact and help users safely enjoy their fun in the sun.

http://www.lorealusa.com/media/press-releases/2018/january/uv-sense

AsusLYRA VOICE Why do we love it?Lyra Voice is a tri-band AC2200 router providing 802.11ac Wi-Fi as part of Asus’s mesh system. The device interacts through mesh technology with other Lyra hubs to extend a user’s wireless network and includes a microphone to support built in Alexa voice services. Lyra ensures you have consistent Wi-Fi throughout your house, allows you to play music, and check the news or traffic through Alexa.

The Lyra Voice is a welcomed all-in-one solution to the smart home that has the ability to replace multiple gadgets cluttering your house. Asus’ holistic approach with with Lyric Voice brings a much needed simple and intuitive solution that will hopefully reduce the consumer entry barrier to the connected home.

https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/Lyra-Voice/

NvidiaBIG FORMAT GAMING DISPLAYS

(BFGD’s)

Why do we love it?

The Big Format Gaming Displays (BFGD) by Nvidia provide users with the ultimate high-end

gaming visual experience. The 65-inch BFGD boasts an impressive 4K HDR resolution, low-

latency, 120Hz refresh rate, G-Sync technology, and Nvidia’s own Shield streaming box built in.

When it comes to high-end gaming bigger is always better. The Nvidia BFGD is a rare breed

of display, bringing together the best traits of both large format televisions and small format

lightning fast PC monitors to create the premium gaming experience. It’s always great to see

how different advances in product categories drive others, it is now up to chipset designers to

develop more advanced processors and video cards to smoothly run these larger displays.

https://www.geforce.com/whats-new/articles/bfgd-big-format-gaming-display

PelotonTREAD

Why do we love it?

Tread by Peloton is a premium connected treadmill designed specifically for their live-streaming exercise classes. The treadmill features a 32-inch HD touchscreen with a soundbar

integrated behind the display to provide surround sound to the user.

We have a passion for intuitive and visceral user interfaces. One of the first things you notice as you step onto the treadmill is the almost complete lack of physical

buttons. Besides 2 tactile control knobs on the guard rails for speed and incline the remaining features are all accessed through the large touchscreen where the live-streaming classes take up the majority of the screen accompanied by

the Peloton leaderboard and your live stats. The immersive user interface of the Tread combined with their live-streaming class content helps give users the

motivation they need to get healthy.

https://www.onepeloton.com/tread