Authors: Xu Shan, Zhou Yongliang , GeekPark

Edited by Zheng Xuan

Some call CES the "Spring Festival Gala of the tech world," something to watch for the spectacle; but to us, it's more like a huge, chaotic, yet vibrant "draft box of the future." This year, the clearest line in this draft box is: AI is no longer just "ChatGPT" on a screen, but is beginning to take over the real "physical world."

This year's CES can be described as a full recovery, with over 4,100 exhibitors and an estimated attendance of over 150,000. But beyond the numbers, what we see is a more significant change: an increasing number of diverse hardware products are embracing AI. AI is reaching, learning, and influencing the real world through these hardware terminals, and will one day become ubiquitous.

This year, our team firmly focused on four sectors: "Robotics and Embodied Intelligence," "Smart Cars," "AI Hardware," and "Fun Cutting-Edge Technologies." This is not merely because they occupy the largest exhibition space, but because, in our view, these four areas constitute the clearest "innovation variables" in the world of technology this year.

From over 4,000 exhibits, we selected 25 innovative products. These include Lego bricks that "come alive," the newly unveiled Boston Dynamics Atlas, Sweekar's breathing AI pet, and Withings' blood sugar monitoring scale. What we see in these products is not just "parameter updates," but rather that, with the support of AI, human life, entertainment, travel, and education are ushering in the most brilliant moment of innovation since the invention of electricity 100 years ago.

This is a draft of the future, and we invite you to review it with us.

01 Robots/Embodied Intelligence

This year's CES is destined to be a watershed moment for the robotics industry. The official CES has created a dedicated exhibition hall for embodied intelligence, a clear signal that robots are no longer just mascots in shop windows, but are going to be truly operational. Everyone will witness firsthand how AI-driven machines are being implemented in manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare. This leap from "showy technology" to "practical application" is the most exciting moment for hardware professionals.

If 2025 was a "trial run" for Chinese robots, then 2026 will definitely be a "full-scale attack." Just looking at the exhibitor catalog is exhilarating, with Chinese embodied intelligence companies accounting for more than half. Unitree will showcase its latest interactive technology, and Logic is bringing its entire product line to the North American market for the first time. Add to that established players like VitaPower, Galaxy General, and Cloud Depth, and this is an unprecedented lineup.

Even more interestingly, this "expedition" will also face a heavyweight competitor. Boston Dynamics will be showcasing its all-electric Atlas for the first time in public. On one side is a long-established leader with deep technological expertise, and on the other is a Chinese contingent with an astonishingly rapid iteration speed. This head-to-head competition will directly usher in a new chapter in the commercialization of embodied intelligence.

A decade-long "internet celebrity" becomes a "factory worker": Boston Dynamics' Atlas receives its first job offer.

On the CES 2026 stage, when the all-new Boston Dynamics Atlas strode out with a light and remarkably "human" gait, the atmosphere—a mixture of amazement and slight unease—was perhaps the most captivating moment in technological sensibility. Looking back over the past decade, witnessing its evolution from a clumsy, even somewhat comical, metal prototype into the streamlined industrial product it is today, the visual impact itself heralds a turning point—it's no longer just for shooting parkour videos.

The new Atlas has a very clear product definition: it's a "super worker bee" designed to work in factories. In terms of hardware, its 56 degrees of freedom combined with fully rotating joints give it a range of motion exceeding that of humans; its human-scale hands, equipped with sensory capabilities, are designed to handle complex material sorting and assembly tasks. More importantly, it's no longer just a machine that executes rigid code, but a general-purpose worker capable of continuously learning and adapting to new roles through AI.

What's most exciting is its "job offer": it will go directly to its parent company Hyundai Motor's factory in Georgia to undertake manufacturing tasks on a real production line. When robots start to truly leave the laboratory and do those tedious, repetitive, and even dangerous jobs, this is the real milestone for humanoid robots to move from "Demo" to "Product".

Ushering in a new era of consumer-grade embodied robotic dogs! VitaPower's Vbot may be the first truly "free-range" AI robot dog.

At CES 2026, the most intriguing aspect of the Vbot super robot dog wasn't its speed, but rather that it completely eliminated the need for a remote control. This is probably the world's first truly intelligent robot dog capable of "free-roaming" in complex environments.

Previously, when people played with robotic dogs, they were essentially operating an expensive, high-end remote-controlled car. But Vbot, relying on its self-developed three-layer intelligent architecture of body, space, and agent, demonstrates what embodied intelligence should look like: in the extremely crowded and noisy environment of CES, it can autonomously follow, lead, and even help users carry objects and take photos. This autonomous decision-making ability after "letting go," coupled with fluent English voice interaction, makes it seem less like a cold, command-following machine and more like a super-powerful partner with judgment.

This is directly reflected in market enthusiasm. In the pre-sale at the end of 2025, Vbot secured 1,000 orders in just 52 minutes, which is an astonishing speed for a 10,000-yuan-level embodied smart hardware product.

Currently, the global version of Vbot is under intensive preparation and is expected to be released in North America, Europe, and the Middle East in Q2 of 2026. Vbot truly gives people a sense of robots becoming a part of everyday life.

A distant cousin of the real-life "WALL-E": The retro-futuristic feel of the ZerothW1

In a world where robots are striving to resemble "humans," Zeroth's W1 is a breath of fresh air—it brings everyone's dream robot, WALL-E, into reality. While it lacks Disney's official yellow paint scheme, this $5,599 machine, with its signature dual-track design, instantly appeals to sci-fi fans. It's not the delicate machine limited to smooth surfaces; the tracks grant it formidable off-road capability, easily navigating grass, gravel roads, and even slopes.

Image source: GeekPark

Judging from its hardware specifications, this little guy is a true "strongman." Weighing only 20 kilograms, it can carry 50 kilograms of weight around, a load-bearing ratio exceeding 2:1 that is quite impressive among service robots. Equipped with LiDAR and RGB cameras, it can sense its environment, follow you like a shadow, and even act as a mobile gaming console.

While its functions currently seem a bit of a "hodgepodge"—it's a mover, a photographer, and an expensive remote-controlled toy, all at a mere 0.5 meters per second (endearingly slow)—W1's value lies in blurring the lines between tool and pet. It doesn't pursue extreme efficiency, but rather provides a sense of companionship: imagine a little guy who looks like WALL-E huffing and puffing as he carries heavy things home for you. This emotional value is perhaps the reason it commands such a high price.

Your iPhone suddenly has a "body": LoonaDeskMate's clever subtraction.

While CES 2026 was filled with expensive and complex standalone AI robots, Loona's DeskMate pulled off a clever "effortless" approach. It looks like an ordinary desktop charging station with three USB-C and one USB-A ports, but the MagSafe-equipped robotic arm is the real star. Once you attach an iPhone to it, it transforms from a simple charger into a mobile AI desktop assistant, instantly activating the app.

This is precisely its most captivating product logic: rejecting hardware redundancy. Robots on the market always try to cram in their own screens, cameras, and computing chips, resulting in high costs and poor image quality. DeskMate takes the opposite approach, directly "borrowing" the most powerful iPhone from users. Since phones already have top-of-the-line Retina displays, high-sensitivity cameras, and microphones, why reinvent the wheel?

This design is incredibly utilitarian – it's first and foremost a high-performance charging hub you'll use every day, and secondarily a robot. Instead of adding new electronic waste to your desktop, it transforms a space-consuming charger into a vibrant, intelligent terminal. This approach of giving existing devices a "body" is perhaps the most seamless and intelligent way to integrate AI companions into everyday desktops.

Emojis have come to life? LGCLOiD is a desktop management master that "doesn't bend over".

LG's CLOiD, unveiled at CES 2026, immediately evokes a sense of "friendliness." Unlike cold, industrial machinery, CLOiD boasts an expressive screen and a wheeled base that roams the house, making it feel like a butler straight out of an animated film. Its focus is on combining emotional interaction with household chores; its flexible robotic arms can not only fold clothes and empty the dishwasher, but also control all the home appliances based on observed user habits, truly bringing "smart home" from the cloud to the ground.

However, the most intriguing detail lies in its "waist management." While its fingers are highly dexterous and capable of delicate operations, its wheeled structure limits its ability to handle items above knee height. This means it's an excellent "countertop cleaner," but it might be helpless if you drop your socks on the floor. This design trade-off is quite typical: before bipedal walking technology is fully mature, LG chose to focus on refining "half-body" services, making the robot a qualified "high-altitude work" partner.

Sharpa teaches humans to play ball using "physical cheat codes".

Sharpa's booth was definitely the focus of the entire event this time. Their autonomous ping-pong robot was practically teaching humans a lesson with its "physical cheat code." The key was its outrageous 0.02-second response time—meaning that the delay from visual capture to the robotic arm's movement was almost eliminated, completely surpassing the physical limits of human neural reflexes.

The scene was incredibly exciting, with human players appearing utterly vulnerable against it. This machine wasn't just an impenetrable defensive "wall"; it even possessed "ball intelligence," returning shots with precise and tricky placement, often unexpectedly hitting edge shots that left its opponents, mere mortals, scrambling. Its standard hitting posture displayed a fluidity that completely shed the stiffness of traditional machines. The cheers of the audience were deafening; their excitement wasn't just about the match, but about witnessing the perfect closed loop of high-speed motion control and real-time AI decision-making.

Enjoy relaxation while lying down: RheoFit A1 turns a foam roller into a "self-driving" massage therapist.

RheoFit's A1 is definitely a "small but beautiful" product that catches the eye and directly addresses pain points. Anyone who has done myofascial release knows that rolling a traditional foam roller is actually quite physically demanding; you have to support your own weight to roll it, and often your arms are sore before you're even finished relaxing. But the A1 automates this process—it's not just a roller, it's more like a personal massage robot priced at $380.

The most interesting thing is its "autonomy". It can use AI algorithms to plan its path. When you lie down and relax, it is like an obedient therapist, automatically crawling under you and rolling smoothly from your shoulders to your toes.

The logic behind this is fascinating: it simplifies a complex full-body massage into a single button, truly freeing up your hands. This approach of bringing robotics technology into everyday rehabilitation scenarios is far more practical than lofty concepts; it's a hardware innovation that genuinely enhances quality of life.

02. AI Hardware

A stroll through the AI hardware exhibition area at CES 2026 gives the most immediate impression that AI has finally "taken a backseat" and is integrated into everything.

If in 2025 everyone was still anxious about "what AI can do," then in 2026, hardware manufacturers have clearly found their "foothold." We specifically selected these products this year not because they have the most powerful hardware, but because they represent four core trends emerging in AI hardware:

AI can be applied to everything, but "stealth" is key. This year's smart homes are no longer just about simple automation. From smart locks to lighting, AI is making widespread adoption. This trend proves the maturity of small-scale models, which are capable of enabling existing smart products to make more accurate judgments without consuming enormous computing power.

Companionship products are entering a segmented stage. The AI companionship products showcased this year have very distinct boundaries: those for playing with children emphasize personality development, those for living with the elderly focus on emotional monitoring, and those for adults primarily address stress relief. AI companionship is evolving completely different interaction logics based on different life stages.

The audio recording market has reached new heights of competition. This is a highly consistent market, with everyone from card-style voice recorders to smart rings and various applications vying for a foothold in the "second brain" market. It's foreseeable that this will remain a fiercely competitive red ocean in 2026, but it's precisely this intense competition that has forced companies like Plaud to segment their product lines and strengthen brand awareness among users.

Smart glasses are experiencing a "cooling-off period." Although long queues still form at venues for people to try out smart glasses, the initial excitement stemming from curiosity is fading. The solutions on the market are highly homogenized, and due to a lack of truly compelling interactive innovations or demonstrations, this sector has shown signs of fatigue behind its initial boom this year.

NotePin S: Plaud targets short-term memory, creating a "flash capsule" for professionals.

At their CES 2026 booth, Plaud showcased a compact hardware device called NotePin S. Resembling a minimalist capsule, it can be worn as a brooch, necklace, or even clipped to a wristband, recording and organizing every word you hear around the clock.

Compared to its predecessor, NotePin S adds a crucial physical button. During recording, when you hear truly important information—such as a deadline set by your boss or a sudden flash of inspiration—press the button, and the built-in AI will label the audio as "key." This transforms it from blindly recording into learning to capture the essentials from a sea of irrelevant information. It supports transcription in 112 languages, automatically distinguishes between different speakers, and finally generates mind maps or meeting summaries using over 10,000 templates.

But Plaud's most daring move this year was a shift in its focus from Plaud hardware to a desktop application. With a single click, you can record and summarize without alerting anyone. Previous AI tools aimed for "presence," wanting to announce to everyone, "I'm taking your notes"; Plaud, on the other hand, aims for "invisibility." It seamlessly switches between face-to-face conversations, phone calls, and screen conferences, while also passing stringent security certifications such as GDPR and ISO27001, attempting to alleviate people's fears of privacy breaches. From smart voice recorders and recording rings to recording apps, the evolution of recording products over the past year has been rapid, essentially representing a precise breakdown of the needs of different niche scenarios.

Sweekar: Cyber "Q Pet", a breathing AI pet

Every generation has its own digital pet. For those born in the 1990s, it was the black-and-white e-ink screen elf egg; for those born in the 2020s, it will be a fluffy AI pet. TakwayAI showcased this hardware called Sweekar, which puts the digital pet, which originally only existed on the screen, into a physical shell that breathes and has body temperature.

Sweekar's core logic lies in "the embodiment of companionship." This tiny gadget, weighing only 89 grams, simulates a slight breathing rhythm and body temperature. Its growth path is designed very compactly, divided into four stages: egg, hatchling, juvenile, and adult. This is not a pre-programmed process, but rather based on an experience-based system; the frequency with which you feed, clean, and interact with it determines its growth rate.

The involvement of AI adds some uncertainty to this nurturing process. It utilizes a multimodal model similar to GeminiFlash and incorporates an MBTI-based personality system. This means that as it evolves from an infant capable of making simple sounds to a conversational adult, it develops a unique personality based on your daily communication habits. It even possesses "long-term memory," remembering your past emotions and conversations, and when you ignore it, it will "explore" and "learn" in the background, sharing these experiences with you the next time you meet. It supports NFC-based "friend tap" social interaction, allowing two pets to become friends through physical contact, while also retaining classic nurturing game elements such as changing clothes and modifying habitats.

While its features may sound hardcore, it essentially does one thing: leverages the learning capabilities of modern AI to compensate for the lack of emotional responsiveness in virtual pets. It doesn't require the same level of maintenance as complex electronic devices, needing minimal daily interaction to function. For players with a fondness for 90s simulation games and a desire for slightly "smarter" AI, this $150 cybernetic life might be an interesting experiment.

Do giant pandas have "mind-reading" abilities? An'an: Let AI rediscover the lost "warmth"

Among the many robots emphasizing efficiency and computing power, An'an, the panda robot launched by Shenzhen Wuxin Technology, stood out as a stark contrast and was quite popular at the event. It attempts to address the emotional emptiness of the elderly with its gentle and approachable design.

Hidden beneath its adorable exterior is an "elderly care monitoring station." Targeting seniors experiencing memory decline, An'an can accurately provide task reminders and act as an emotional bond between caregivers and seniors, synchronizing health status. Although its appearance is extremely approachable and "healing," An'an is covered with more than 10 high-precision sensors. Its response to touch is no longer a mechanical preset program, but a real-time interaction based on emotional AI. Its core competitiveness lies in its learning ability; it can deeply memorize the user's voice characteristics, behavioral patterns, and interaction preferences. The longer you spend time with it, the more this panda becomes like a tailor-made "companion."

Image source: Techcruch

AnAn proved that AI doesn't necessarily have to dominate the world on a screen; it can also transform into a warm entity that can sense touch and combat loneliness. This "dimensional reduction attack," which seamlessly integrates B2B-level medical monitoring, is a true testament to the humanization of technology in 2026.

AI-Tails Smart Feeding and Watering Stations: Understanding Your Cat's Health, Anyone Can Be a Veterinarian

If you own a cat, you know that small animals are natural "pain hiders," and by the time they show signs of illness, it's often too late for optimal treatment. At CES 2026, the Swiss startup AI-Tails aimed to solve this problem with a $499 smart feeding and watering station.

It's a "comprehensive cat health checkup station" hidden in the corner of the living room. Using a camera and sophisticated pattern recognition, it can capture micro-expressions and behavioral signals that are imperceptible to the human eye in the few seconds it takes for a cat to eat. In addition to accurately measuring food and water intake, it can even remotely scan a cat's body temperature.

Image source: Techcruch

According to on-site reports, Angelica, the founder of AI-Tails, was devastated by the sudden death of her beloved cat. She felt that since humans can use smartwatches to track steps and heart rate, why can't pets receive the same life-saving protection? In my opinion, this product is more like "luxury healthcare" for pets. With $499 for the hardware and $421 for the app, this nearly $1,000 combo precisely targets those cat owners willing to do anything for their cats. Although expensive, AI is evolving from "understanding humans" to "understanding life." When cameras are no longer just for surveillance and theft prevention, but begin to learn to interpret the sorrow and pain on a cat's face...

03. Smart Mobility

The CES Automotive Pavilion in 2026 will be an absolutely magical "ice and fire" spectacle, with such a strong contrast that it's even more intriguing than the products themselves.

On one hand, there's a frenzy of technological innovation. The transformation to new energy vehicles has entered a more complex phase, and AI has permeated every aspect of the cockpit. You can clearly feel that cars are no longer just means of transportation, but have become mobile "super terminals." Chinese automakers like Great Wall and Geely came with the ambition to "blow up" the venue, and together with established powerhouses like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, everyone is showcasing their most prized skills—from core powertrains to intelligent driving ecosystems, the outline of future mobility has never been clearer.

On the other hand, the host country, the United States, appeared unusually quiet, even somewhat desolate. Affected by the Trump administration's contractionary policies, the electric vehicle boom has subsided, forcing Detroit's giants to re-evaluate their strategies, with many either absent or pausing operations. This sense of dissonance—"fierce competition on the road, but silence on home turf"—is precisely what makes this year's automotive landscape most intriguing. It's not just a product showcase, but a microcosm of the dramatic reshuffling of the global automotive landscape: while domestic giants hesitate, Chinese power and AI technology are rapidly filling the vacuum and reshaping the rules of the game.

At the same time, electric wheelchairs, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles have also brought some surprises.

Physical intelligence is about to usher in a "ChatGPT moment": NVIDIA's Alpamayo enables cars to "think".

At CES this year, Jensen Huang proclaimed "the ChatGPT moment of physical intelligence," which sounds arrogant, but Alpamayo certainly has the right to be arrogant.

Previous autonomous driving systems were more like "conditioned reflexes"—stopping at red lights; Alpamayo, however, brings "logical reasoning." Like a seasoned human driver, it can handle unprecedented situations like a broken red light, breaking down the steps, deducing the consequences, and ultimately planning a safe route. This chain-of-thought capability elevates autonomous driving from simply "memorizing a question bank" to truly "testing intelligence."

What's even more interesting is its positioning: a "teacher model." This open-source suite, containing a model with 10 billion parameters, the AlpaSim simulation environment, and 1,700 hours of real-world data, isn't meant to be directly crammed into cars. Instead, it's intended for automakers to use it to "distill" and train their own lightweight models. Nvidia's move is brilliant; by opening up, they've defined the next generation of development standards—not just teaching you how to run fast, but also how to run effectively.

According to NVIDIA's announced plans, Alpamayo will be first introduced into the Mercedes-Benz CLA production model through the DriveAV software system, and is expected to be launched in the North American market in the first quarter of 2026, and then gradually expanded to the European and Asian markets.

Wheelchairs with "self-driving" capabilities? StruttEv1: Putting a "Tesla" inside a wheelchair.

Strutt's Ev1, unveiled at CES, is not just an ordinary electric mobility aid, but a smart electric wheelchair designed to reshape user independence. It addresses a long-neglected pain point: for wheelchair users, navigating narrow doorways or crowded areas often involves immense psychological stress. The Ev1 essentially equips the wheelchair with a "veteran driver's brain," upgrading assisted mobility from simple "transportation" to "intelligent navigation."

The core of this product lies in its Co-PilotPlus intelligent co-pilot technology. In complex indoor environments, users no longer need to fine-tune the joystick to avoid corners or furniture. You only need to give a general command to move forward, and the Ev1's four-motor intelligent steering wheel system will automatically take over the fine-tuning, correcting the path to ensure smooth passage even in narrow spaces. This "human-machine co-driving" mode greatly lowers the operating threshold, allowing users to go anywhere with more confidence and ease.

To achieve this sense of security, Strutt is equipped with robust hardware: two LiDAR sensors, ten time-of-flight sensors, six ultrasonic sensors, and two cameras. This sensor array, typically found in Level 4 autonomous vehicles, is crammed into a chair, creating a 360-degree perception network. While the price of $7,499 (US$5,299 at CES) is not cheap, for users who require a high level of safety, it's not just about buying a device, but about buying a sense of dignity in their travels—avoiding collisions with walls and people.

Finally, no more fancy tricks! Segway is back at CES with its "serious" and ferocious new bikes.

Segway's debut at CES sent a very clear signal: it's finally no longer content with just making oddly shaped balance bikes or large toys. Backed by Ninebot's powerful supply chain, Segway is completing a magnificent transformation from "tech toys" to "essential mobility needs." This year's core strategy is very pragmatic—to use highly technological content to capture the mass market for daily commuting and entertainment.

Last year's Xyber and Xafari proved that Segway is serious about electric vehicles, and this year's three new releases further refine its product portfolio. These are no longer just novelty items for tech enthusiasts, but rather highly customizable vehicles designed for ordinary consumers to suit their lifestyles.

More than just wheel-less technology: The Verge has secured the first step in mass production of solid-state batteries.

Verge's move is practically dragging the "future" into the present. While the entire industry is still painting a picture of solid-state batteries on PowerPoint presentations, Verge directly unveiled its mass production timeline at CES 2026—within the "next few months." This isn't just a victory in terms of specifications; it's a mockery of the limits of physics.

Look at this terrifying data: a range of 370 miles (approximately 595 kilometers). This isn't just eliminating range anxiety; it's creating "bladder anxiety," as it travels farther than many gasoline-powered motorcycles. Even more outrageous is the refueling efficiency: it can add 186 miles of range in just 10 minutes, meaning that while you're having a cup of espresso by the roadside, the car is already ready for its next long-distance journey.

And they haven't forgotten that iconic "hollow wheel." The new generation DonutLab hubless motor, while reducing weight by 50%, still retains an insane 1000 Nm of torque, and its 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.5 seconds is enough to leave you breathless. Its 400Wh/kg energy density means it's thrown away the heavy liquid electrolyte, achieving ultimate lightweighting and raw aesthetics.

04. Appreciation of Creative Products

If you only focus on the trending sectors or the big companies' booths at CES, you're probably only seeing the tip of the iceberg of the tech world. Many groundbreaking and imaginative innovations are often hidden in small booths of just a few dozen square meters. As CES CEO Gary Shapiro famously said, "Innovation knows no bounds; it can come from anywhere." These entrepreneurs tinkering with gadgets in the corners today might very well be standing center stage a few years later with products that completely transform industries.

This year, GeekPark deliberately avoided those extravagant press conferences and instead delved deep into the exhibition area to uncover truly imaginative and unconventional ideas. They discovered that many startups' products were just as impressive as those of major companies. These products may not be perfect, and some may even be a bit outrageous, but their boundless imagination truly represents humanity's primal urge to explore the future of technology.

The following products are the most imaginative creations we "found" deep within the exhibition hall this year, and we'd like to share them with you:

LEGO is "powered up"! Even without a screen, the bricks can come to life.

Among the numerous cyberpunk-themed booths at CES 2026, LEGO's SmartPlay system was a breath of fresh air. What excited me most was that LEGO completely forgot about adding screens to the bricks, instead preserving the core tactile feel of brick assembly. This system consists of smart bricks, smart minifigures, and digitally labeled bricks; this "retro yet futuristic" combination instantly ignited my playful spirit. Currently, LEGO's first batch of SmartPlay products consists of two Star Wars-themed sets, expected to release in March.

The most amazing thing about this kit system is the "instant response" experience. When your minifigure approaches a specific tag brick, it's as if it suddenly has eyes, instantly understanding the other person's identity and starting to interact. If you put smart blocks inside the assembled helicopter, when I perform a dive or flip with the helicopter blocks, the roar of the propellers changes accordingly, and the LED lighting effects change rhythm in real time. Although it's still the familiar plastic blocks in my hands, at that moment, it seems to have truly come alive!

LEGO's "hardcore approach" is actually achieved by embedding a tiny ASIC chip within each brick. Utilizing magnetic positioning recognition and its self-developed BrickNet protocol, the bricks can respond collaboratively. This approach of completely integrating cutting-edge technology into traditional toys actually reflects LEGO's thinking about the AI era: true intelligence should not deprive people of their senses, but rather enhance the realistic experience of the physical world.

Clicks Keyboard Phone Case: The Disappearing Physical Keys Are Returning in Another Way

There's a strange phenomenon in the tech world: when a classic design completely disappears, many people start to feel a strong sense of nostalgia. Around the Clicks booth, I noticed quite a few people were truly "hardcore" with this retro trend. This year, they brought not only the Communicator smart communicator but also a PowerKeyboard keyboard—each piece felt like a nostalgic love letter to the era of full-keyboard phones.

This $499 device has a very "BlackBerry" look. Its core logic is to serve as an extension of the main phone, maintaining a dedication to some retro design details. It not only features tactile physical buttons, but also brings back the long-lost 3.5mm headphone jack, physical SIM card slot, and even a physical airplane mode switch. It even supports touch operation, allowing you to scroll through messages without touching the screen. This approach of using a "full-keyboard phone" as an independent communication tool connected to the main phone is not just about nostalgia, but also about drawing a hard line for focused communication in this era of fragmented information.

If you find the $499 price tag too high, Clicks' other product, the Power Keyboard, was definitely the most popular item at the event. For just $79, it magnetically attaches to your phone via MagSafe, instantly giving your ordinary phone a Blackberry-like lower half. It features a slider design, adaptable to various sizes, and can be used horizontally or vertically for typing. It's even compatible with AR/VR environments or smart TVs. This tangible physical button feedback is something no haptic feedback motor can simulate, and it's something many users have longed for.

From Clicks, I see designs once abandoned by time making a comeback in a smarter, more valuable way. Perhaps true progress doesn't necessarily require completely abandoning the past; sometimes, reminiscing about "old friends" is about regaining the sense of control that screens have stolen from the physical world. Of course, all of this is predicated on being willing to pay for nostalgia. After all, the price to pay for rediscovering the feel of your first love might be equivalent to a decent new Android phone.

When OLED meets vinyl records, Samsung is reviving classics with its "emotional canvas."

This year's CES saw a surge in retro trends, and even giants like Samsung weren't immune. They actually stitched together OLED display technology with vintage items that would normally belong in museums. The most eye-catching products at the event were undoubtedly two concept products: the "AIOLED Cassette" and the "AIOLED Turntable."

The cassette tape with its tiny 1.5-inch round screen is so exquisitely crafted it's like a work of art, making you want to pick it up and play with it. The 13.4-inch turntable, on the other hand, seamlessly blends the elegance of analog vinyl records with the cutting-edge technology of an OLED screen.

This isn't just about stacking buffs; it's about creating ambiance with the screen, turning digital products into works of art. Previously, listening to music with a Bluetooth speaker required looking down at your phone, but these screen-equipped devices allow you to receive AI music recommendations directly on the device itself. Even more amazing, they can "skin" a room with flowing light and visual effects, transforming music from an auditory experience into a multi-sensory immersive experience.

After looking around, you'll find this approach was particularly popular at this year's CES. Whether it's Samsung's OLED displays or the e-ink screens on many booths, they all essentially convey the same message: screens are no longer cold information carriers; they are becoming warm "emotional canvases." They're reviving classic forms that were almost forgotten, thanks to AI and display technology. This approach of using cutting-edge technology to awaken retro sentiments is definitely one of the trends at this year's CES.

The "magic mirror" has become a reality: look in the mirror for 30 seconds, and it can predict your health trajectory 20 years from now.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, how much longer do I live?" At the NuraLogix booth at CES 2026, everyone standing in front of that "longevity mirror" probably unconsciously uttered this mantra. This isn't just a fairy tale; it's a real, even somewhat "hardcore," home-use digital health terminal.

Compared to last year's prototype, which was only for display and not for sale, this year's officially released mirror is clearly more confident. You don't need to roll up your sleeve for a blood draw, nor do you need to wear any sensors; simply stand still in front of the mirror for 30 seconds. Through "transdermal optical imaging" technology, it can capture the subtle blood flow patterns in your face. Based on an AI model trained from hundreds of thousands of patient records, it instantly analyzes cardiovascular risk, metabolic index, and even your biological age. It even dares to claim it can predict your health risks 20 years in advance.

This longevity mirror represents a shift from "passive healthcare" to "active defense." In the past, our understanding of health often lagged behind medical check-up reports, but the longevity mirror integrates monitoring into our daily routine of washing and grooming. It eliminates the need for reactive measures after illness, instead making real-time adjustments as you age. Its accompanying AI assistant acts like a 24/7 health manager, transforming dry health parameters into actionable suggestions for sleep, nutrition, and stress management.

While the $899 price tag and subsequent annual fees aren't exactly budget-friendly, if those 30 seconds spent brushing your teeth each day can help you precisely avoid health pitfalls for the next few decades, this "longevity investment" is clearly more worthwhile than any expensive anti-aging supplement. When the whole family can gather around this mirror to "fortune-tell" their health, the existence of AI will not only extend lifespan but also improve the quality of life.

Withings Smart Body Scale: Step on it and get a "deep scan" of your body.

If NuraLogix's longevity mirror is about "face reading," then Withings' BodyScan2, released at CES 2026, is about thoroughly "scanning" your body inside and out. Withings defines it as a "home-based longevity monitoring station."

This scale has a very ceremonial design: a pull-up bar connects to the tempered glass panel. When you stand on it and pull the bar to your hips, holding the position for about 90 seconds, not only are the eight electrodes on the base working, but the four stainless steel electrodes on the handle also engage simultaneously. This setup isn't for weighing, but for capturing more than 60 biomarkers. What surprised me most was that it can assess the risk of high blood pressure without a blood pressure cuff, just like a medical device, and can even detect early signs of blood sugar dysregulation.

It incorporates five medical-grade technologies originally reserved for clinical laboratories, and the product is awaiting FDA approval. It breaks down your body data into three dimensions: cardiovascular elasticity, cellular metabolic efficiency, and, most importantly, blood sugar regulation. Withings' brilliance lies in its focus: it doesn't concern itself with your current weight; it focuses on the elasticity of your blood vessels, the efficiency of your cell metabolism, and those subtle but still "reversible" physiological changes. Withings doesn't just throw a bunch of dry numbers at you; it draws a long-term "health trajectory" for you within the app.

I think this is one of the truly fascinating aspects of CES 2026; it's breaking down the heavy concept of "health checkup" into the 90 seconds of your daily routine after brushing your teeth in the morning. The purpose of this product is to guide you in correcting your lifestyle before chronic diseases even have a chance to knock on your door. Although you'll have to shell out $600 for this "precise guide to avoid pitfalls," compared to the huge expenses and physical suffering after becoming ill, this device that can predict the future may become an essential "life preservation tool" for everyone in the future.

MuiBoardGen2: Can you monitor sleep by placing a piece of "breathing" wood by your bedside?

Amidst the dazzling array of 8K giant screens at CES, MuiLab's simple wooden board was a breath of fresh air. Called MuiBoardGen2, it looks like wood straight from an old Kyoto furniture store, its surface warm and smooth to the touch, completely devoid of any cold, electronic feel. Only when you run your finger across the wood surface do the warm orange LED dots peek through the grain—a truly soothing sensation.

This year, they also hid a millimeter-wave radar inside this piece of wood to create their new MuiCalm sleep monitoring platform. What's so amazing about this thing? You don't need to wear a watch, a ring, or even attach any sensors to your body while you sleep. As long as this piece of wood hangs by your bedside, it can "see" your breathing rate and turning movements from a distance. Just by listening to your "aura," it can tell whether you're sleeping well or not.

Many people ask, since the screen has been removed for quieter operation, how do you control the lights and speakers at home? While it lacks a screen, it retains a very interesting LED dot matrix interactive system. You can slide a finger across a piece of wood like striking a match to dim the lights; or tap twice to start playing white noise from the speakers. You can customize it to your liking—it's both fun and intuitive.

After touring this booth, my most profound impression was: AI has finally learned to "shut up." Previously, smart home devices always tried to make their presence felt, with pop-ups and voice reminders. But MuiBoard shows us that true, top-tier intelligence is actually "disappearing" from your daily life. It's there, existing like air, only activating when you need it. While spending hundreds of dollars on a piece of wood might sound extravagant, it's something that will appeal to anyone who wants to enjoy the convenience of AI while regaining "quiet bedroom" in 2026.

Is Tony the hairdresser about to lose his job? This "automatic" clipper can turn even the most clumsy hairdresser into a master in seconds.

The trend of AI in everything has finally reached your scalp. At CES, I also spotted the GLYDE smart hair clipper, which is enough to make hairdressers collectively anxious. Its most amazing ability is to make the most mysterious thing in the hairdressing world, "layered hairstyles," as simple as applying a selfie filter.

The biggest fear when cutting your own hair is shaky hands; one wrong move and you'll go from a "stylish man" to a "bald patch." But GLYDE is like having an obstacle avoidance system installed in the clippers: built-in sensors monitor your movements and angles in real time. Most incredibly, its blades "autopilot"—if you push too fast, the blades automatically retract; if the angle is off, it reduces the amount of trimming. This "foolproof design," coupled with the special gradient marking strips, is like having a master stylist drawing lines on your head—incredibly steady.

Choose your hairstyle, put on the strap, and then just close your eyes and "glide." It takes only 10 minutes, saving you the hassle of appointments, waiting in line, and the sunk costs of tens of dollars each time at a barbershop. From a geek's perspective, GLYDE is a brutal dismantling of the "traditional skill barrier." It returns haircutting freedom to men who crave a sharp look, giving users a greater sense of control. Of course, for women with extremely high aesthetic standards, if the AI hasn't evolved to understand the complex semantics of "cut it a little shorter," I suggest not trying it lightly; otherwise, it might not just be "fun," but a major disaster.

Cyber Kitchen Gadget: An ultrasonic knife that vibrates 30,000 times per second, cutting things without any resistance?

At CES, I discovered a magical tool that can instantly transform any culinary novice into a "master chef"—the Seattle Ultrasonic C-200 ultrasonic chef's knife. The name sounds hardcore, and using it is an exhilarating experience that defies the laws of physics. It looks like a regular 8-inch chef's knife, but its blade is made of Japanese AUS-10 steel, making it a top-tier chef's knife with extremely high hardness even without the ultrasonic function activated. However, when we press the orange button on the handle, we can't see the blade moving, hear any noise, and feel no vibration in the handle. Yet, thanks to the built-in piezoelectric ceramic crystal that causes the blade to vibrate over 30,000 times per second, it has become a "cutting monster" at a microscopic level.

I tried cutting a tomato with it, and the feeling was truly indescribable. There was almost no resistance; the blade slid through the air as if it were passing right through, leaving a clean, mirror-like cut. The official description says it saves 50% of effort, and because of the high-frequency vibration, food doesn't stick to the blade at all; it's easy to clean with just a rinse of water.

This "ultrasonic attachment" makes cutting incredibly easy, eliminating the need to forcefully "saw" through food; simply let it glide down gently with gravity. It even supports USB-C charging and has a wireless charging pad—a true digital product feature. When technology makes cutting vegetables so silky smooth, have we fallen in love with cooking, or are we simply captivated by the "cutting through everything" feel of ultrasonic waves? Anyway, after browsing the booth, looking at my old kitchen knife and recalling the painful moments of chopping ribs at home, it felt like a relic from the last century.

Bone conduction lollipop, hide the speaker in your mouth

If you see a group of people at CES sucking on lollipops with expressions of utter disbelief, don't be surprised—they're not just smitten by the sweetness, they're stunned by the Lollipop Star. Since musical toothbrushes already exist, why can't there be a lollipop that plays IceSpice in your head?

It packed bone conduction technology into a brightly colored candy. After unwrapping it, I put the lollipop in my mouth and gently bit it. In that instant, the subtle vibrations that were originally focused on the stem instantly transformed into music echoing in my ears. Although the soft sound was hard to make out in the bustling CES hall, the sensation of the audio vibrations traveling through my teeth and skull to my inner ear was truly magical.

Even though to passersby you might just be quietly licking a candy, you actually have a private speaker in your brain, making it a sort of "slacking off" gadget. LollipopStar has also given these candies a "flavor logic" that's very Gen Z in mind. The three flavors correspond to the representative works of three musicians, with each lollipop containing three songs: IceSpice is peach, Akon is blueberry, and ArmaniWhite is lime. And to be honest, the candies themselves are actually quite delicious; at least the peach flavor I had didn't disappoint at all.

In my opinion, this is the most hilarious example of "uselessness" at this year's CES. This product isn't about pursuing high-fidelity sound quality at all; it's purely about breaking down the serious and cold stereotypes of technology. It tells us in an almost playful way that technology can not only change the world, but also make something as mundane as "eating candy" incredibly vibrant.

Even sanitary napkins are getting built-in chips? Vivoo wants to turn menstruation into a "data experiment".

Among the bizarre and outlandish health products at CES 2026, Vivo's FlowPad was undoubtedly the most controversial. It turned a sanitary napkin into a home hormone tester, attempting to extract secrets about ovulation and fertility from menstrual blood.

From a product logic perspective, it incorporates microfluidic channels into sanitary napkins costing $4 to $5, allowing you to view your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels through a small window simply by using it normally. Vivoo's initial goal was to eliminate the hassle of going to a clinic for blood tests, enabling women to complete fertility monitoring in the restroom.

To be honest, standing in front of the booth, the sense of oppression from this "borderless data collection" was stronger than the technological feel. Do we really need to digitize every single drop of human waste? The medical community has long discussed how hormone levels fluctuate hourly, and a single FSH monitoring cannot provide definitive conclusions about fertility or menopause. If the color change of a sanitary napkin plunges users into endless "data anxiety," it's more like a commercial exploitation of women's health fears than genuine healthcare for all.

In my view, this product is more like a microcosm of the "body fluid frenzy" in health technology in 2026. When blood, urine, sweat, and even menstrual blood become data points, we do indeed obtain a seemingly perfect "instruction manual for the human body." But let's not forget that the human body is not a precisely functioning machine. Over-interpreting those subtle physiological indicators often takes us further and further away from true health. Rather than calling FlowPad an innovative medical device, it's more accurate to say it's a thought-provoking slice of a story. When technology begins to infiltrate our most private defenses, are we truly controlling our bodies, or are we being held hostage by data? Perhaps, before pushing for boundless monitoring, the respect for privacy and dignity as human beings is far more important than fluctuating numerical values.

05. When the "future" emerges from the draft box

As I walked out of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the breathing AI pet, the invisible recording pin, and the comical moment of someone wearing a cat mask to measure heart rate kept flashing through my mind. These seemingly scattered, even somewhat "outlandish" fragments pieced together the most authentic side of the tech world in 2026. We are witnessing a massive "species migration," as AI technology descends from the cloud to the soil, reshaping everything like electricity.

This year, industrial-grade, medical-grade, and laboratory-grade products have begun to enter the consumer market with an unprecedentedly flexible approach. The food bowl that monitors a cat's health, the medical-compliant recording pin, and the bedroom butler with millimeter-wave technology are all essentially "reduced-dimensional attacks" of industrial-grade precision. This means that AI is no longer a computing power race in laboratories, but has become an "everyday tool" readily available to everyone.

Furthermore, the evolution of AI companionship was one of the most impressive changes at this year's CES. If last year's companionship products were merely selling "novelty," this year, companionship has completely evolved into a "niche service." Technology is no longer trying to provide a universal answer for everyone, but is beginning to learn how to be a competent friend and a sensible assistant. From Sweekar to AnAn, this evolution based on emotion, memory, and physical interaction has transformed AI from a "useful program" into a "warm companion."

Of course, there are shadows behind the hype. We've also observed that as AI becomes a "cure-all," the problem of product homogenization arises. The uniformity of smart glasses and the awkwardness of some smart home devices forcibly piling on AI remind us that if innovation is merely about adding an "AI" label, it will quickly be submerged in a sea of products.

The direction that CES 2026 has given to the industry is very clear: the second half of the technology era is not only about the strength of model capabilities, but also about how to seamlessly embed these intelligences into people's daily lives.

We've finished compiling this draft of the future. The rest is up to us to see how these imaginative ideas transcend the exhibition hall and truly change our tomorrow.

If CES 2025 was the first year of generative AI, then CES 2026 marks the official start of an explosive growth phase for AI hardware.