T U E S D AY | 0 1 . 0 7. 2 0 1 4 | E X P R E S S | 11
Cover Story
Gizmos Get Personal A crop of new gadgets and tools respond to users’ needs and desires
DAVID BECKER (GETTY IMAGES)
LOCAL CES STARS
Las Vegas
Five Trends at CES: Tech themes to expect at the trade show this week EVY MAGES (FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)
Tablets that measure pupil dilation to determine whether you’re in the mood to watch a horror movie or a comedy. Headbands, socks and bras that analyze brain waves, heart rates and sweat levels. Cars that recognize their owner’s voice to start engines. At the annual International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, which officially opens today and runs through Friday in Las Vegas, personal technology will get much more personal, with the proliferation of biometric tools to create morecustomized online experiences. Once just a niche for fitness buffs and law enforcement officials, the use of biometrics has made its way into mainstream consumer devices. “Literally, this is where things get into ‘Minority Report’ territory,” said Shawn DuBravac, chief economist of the Arlington, Va.based Consumer Electronics Association. “We can embed sensors into so many aspects of our lives.” As technology moves deeper into the habits — and the biology — of Internet users, the collection and analysis of everything from iris patterns to the unique qualities of a person’s walking style raise fresh questions about privacy. “There is much incentive to get this valuable information,” said Jeramie Scott, national security counsel for the Washingtonbased Electronic Privacy Information Center. “You can identify an individual with a remarkable level of accuracy just by their gait. And that’s just one example.” The commercial use of biometrics comes as the FBI and other agencies ramp up collection of bio-
On Monday, Panasonic introduced the HX-A100 wearable camera at CES in Las Vegas.
These range from fitness trackers that let users know how their workouts are going to a full-body gaming harness from PrioVR that lets users wave and kick their way through games on screen and in real life. There’s also a lot of wearables interest in the wrist, especially watches.
WEARABLES
Jeff Noce, president of i4C Innovations, poses with his dog, Scout. Scout is wearing the Voyce collar, which monitors his heart rate and vital signs.
TELCARE Bethesda-based Telcare’s blood-glucose monitor sends a patient’s data into the cloud, accessible through an app. With the meter, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, users can grant access to their physicians, who can check on their progress.
“Biometric data is personally identifiable information, and the question is how will it be stored and who has access to it.” — JER A MIE SCOT T, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNSEL FOR THE ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER
VOYCE i4C Innovations, of Chantilly, Va., plans to show off a collar that can monitor a dog’s health and vital signs, collect analytics about the animal’s behavior and store it as digital health records. Called “Voyce,” it uses sensors to monitor breathing, heart rate and location.
metric information such as fingerprints and facial and voice data. And as more Web-based firms such as Instagram, Apple, Google and Yahoo collect similar data, privacy advocates say consumers may never realize how much sensitive information they are disclosing. At CES, much of the biometric technology is meant to pique consumers’ imaginations. Voice-guided driverless cars won’t be available for several years. And Microsoft’s stress-detection bras and moodsensing ear buds are still being nurtured in labs. But biometrics are catching on more quickly in security. Dozens of companies will show-
XOWI XOWi is a speech-recognition device that users can wear as a badge, translating spoken commands into virtual ones. A user might tell XOWi to send a text, look up an address or make a call. McLean, Va.-based XOWi’s platform is open, meaning independent developers can use it to integrate with other apps.
case technology this week that uses fingerprint, palm-print and iris scanners, and voice-recognition software to replace passwords. And Fast IDentity Online (FIDO), an alliance of technology firms, will also announce new standards this week for using biometrics for security. “Up until now, everyone thought the smartphone was the key to the cloud, but everyone was wrong. The smartphone is a … very smart lock with lots of sensors,” said FIDO member Sebastien Taveau. “Your human body will be your own key, and you will get an extremely customized experience on your device.” CECILIA K ANG (THE WASHINGTON POST )
The Jetsons-like dream that our homes will someday be able to respond to our every whim — and even anticipate what we want — is out in full force at this year’s show, with home automation systems and smart appliances that can keep track of energy or water use.
SMART EVERYTHING
The future is here, and it’s adorable. Robotics products are all over CES this year, though often in the form of smart toys that are meant (right now) purely for play or education. These include the smart, circular toy ball Sphero from Orbotix and jumping robots from Parrot, which users can control with their mobile devices.
ROBOTICS
HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
The world of health tech has exploded with a huge line of fitness trackers, heartrate monitors and other exercise tools. But the broader world of health technology is also rapidly growing, particularly as more consumers age and face chronic ailments. Products such as a smart pillbox from French firm 2im helps get physicians, pharmacists and patients on the same page.
CARS
Thousands of square feet of exhibition space at CES 2014 are devoted to autos, showcasing tech that brings the Web to the dashboard, as well as products aimed solely at keeping road warriors entertained. NPR has announced that it’s working to put a news app directly onto GM’s AppShop. (TWP)