Leveraging humans’ capabilities by using machines was a central theme of CES2025. Some of the machines took the form of electric vehicles. These vehicles were not just cars and included electrified surfboards, drones, and multi-passenger shuttles. Although all of these vehicles might not make it to the mass market, they point to how electric drive trains, particularly when combined with autonomy, will change the movement of people and goods.
But alongside these mobility solutions, there were also self-propelled robots. Robots were swimming underwater, driving on land, flying in the air, and even working in space. Some of these robots had legs and virtual eyes, giving them the ability of a watchdog. Other robots were designed to be held; serving as a substitute for a service pet.
With that as the broader picture, we will hone in on three gems among the thousands of demonstrations at CES2025.
A Long-Distance WiFi Extension
First up is WiFi HaLow, an emerging standard for extending internet connectivity outside the home. The base station connects to IoT devices over 1.5 miles away.1 Throughput of up to 23 Mbps (TCP traffic) and 30 Mbps (UDP traffic) means the support of high-bandwidth devices, such as video cameras. With up to 8,191 devices per base station, this technology applies to smart cities, smart home, and infrastructure to name a few verticals.
Operating in the unlicensed 850 to 950 MHz range, WiFi HaLow’s signals penetrate walls and other barriers that would block traditional WiFi radio waves.2 The low power requirements mean the devices often do not need AC power. The low power/long-distance characteristics make it a good choice for rural IoT deployments. As displayed in Morse Micro’s suite, an array of WiFi HaLow devices are available.
Yarbo presents an interesting WiFi HaLow use case. Yarbo is an all-season yard robot that mows the lawn, blows leaves, and clears snow. WiFi HaLow delivers reliable GPS correction data, enabling this little workhorse to navigate large yards.3
HARR-E – Reimagining Trash Pick-up
Our next highlight, HARR-E [acronym], is a four-wheel concept robot from Oshkosh. HARR-E has the potential to revolutionize trash management in suburban neighborhoods.
This approach would reduce wear and tear on streets, improve the resident’s trash experience, and open new possibilities for pricing, such as charging by weight rather than pick-up frequency.
Instead of using traditional trash cans, residents would summon HARR-E, give him their trash, and he would transport it to a central location for pickup by a regular garbage truck. HARR-E represents a promising glimpse into the future of sustainable waste management.
Fusing Humans and Machines to Improve Accessibility
From glasses that mitigate symptoms of macular degeneration to shoes that improve gait, there were many technologies at CES 2025 aimed at enhancing accessibility.
One of these technologies is from .lumen. This Romanian start-up uses technology developed for self-driving cars to help people with low or no vision navigate their surroundings. Their device uses sensors, planning, and vibration signals to guide users, and even read text aloud.
Stay Tuned
Stay tuned for more insights and innovations from the more than 25 in-depth Viodi.TV interviews from CES2025.
Postscript: The Above is a Human / Machine-Generated Video
In line with the theme of this article, Google’s Vid product helped create the above video. The script was based on prompts and an outline created by this human. It also created a song that fit the video (which wasn’t used) and some of the graphics and associated text. The script and the final video were then edited by a human in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Did it turn out exactly the way this human wanted? No. Was it easy to edit the video? Yes and No. Did the human spend more time than normal creating the above video? Yes. Does the Vid product have potential? Yes.
In short, Google Vid slowed the video production process and did not provide the desired results. Still, it gave me a two-person narration that would not have otherwise been possible.
Notes:
- Morse Micro has shown connectivity of 10 miles (16 km) at 2 Mbps with their first-generation chip, as seen in this video. It is pointed out that the end of the video that these could be configured in a peer-to-peer configuration to effectively extend the range (e.g. skiers on a mountain communicating to each other). ↩︎
- According to the WiFi Alliance, WiFi HaLow’s frequency range is specified between 750 to 928 MHz. The actual implementation is country-dependent and will fall somewhere within that range. ↩︎
- See https://support.yarbo.com/portal/en/kb/articles/faq-for-halow-26-8-2024-1 and for the transitions from LoRA see https://support.yarbo.com/portal/en/kb/articles/how-does-the-wi-fi-connection-affect-the-gps-signal
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