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Autoslide makes any sliding glass door autonomous @ CES 2021

January 31, 2021CES 2021, Gadgets, Homeces2021, connected home, gadgets, home automation, home improvement, roboticsPLUGHITZ Live

Autoslide autonomous sliding glass door If you have a pet dog and a sliding door, you likely have to stop what you’re doing and go open that door a dozen times a day to let the dog in and out. If you have a multi-level home, it can be even more of an inconvenience, especially now that many of us are working from home. This, and a number of other issues, is what Autoslide is designed to solve.

This system is a retrofit device that makes any sliding door into an autonomous sliding door. Using motion sensors, the door can be set to open when someone comes near it. This could be good for opening when you’re carrying supplies out to the grill or just when you’re entertaining. It could even be used at restaurants and bars to keep air conditioning inside while maintaining the feel of an outside experience. By using NFC tags, it could be great for letting the dog out.

Another great use case for the Autoslide is for people in wheelchairs or walkers. Obviously, the weight and length of a sliding glass door can make it difficult to open or close in this situation. Being able to automate the door, either by motion-sensing or by button, could be a life-changer in one of these homes.

Truly, the aspect that makes this system unique is that it does not require you to replace your door. Instead, it fits onto the existing door and track. This retrofit capability reduces the cost significantly, as you don’t have to have a contractor knock out the existing door and install a new one. It also means that you might be able to install it yourself.

The Autoslide system, in various configurations for motion, NFC, manual button, etc., are all available from the company. To learn more or make a purchase, head over to what the website.

Interview by Christopher Jordan of The Talking Sound.

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iWONDERCOOK takes the hassle out of preparing a fresh meal @ CES 2021

January 30, 2021Accessories, CES 2021, Gadgets, Homeces2021, connected home, gadgets, kitchen, robot, roboticsPLUGHITZ Live

After a long day at work, whether you’re working from the office or working from home, sometimes the energy or interest to cook dinner can be limited. For some, it means going and getting fast food. For others, it means jumping on an app and ordering delivery. But, if you are lucky enough to have an iWONDERCOOK, you don’t have to have fast food or order out, and you don’t have to expend the energy to cook.

iWONDERCOOK is a small robotic chef that is designed for your personal kitchen. It is about the size of a consumer 3D printer and even follows similar principles. The design of the meal is done beforehand, and the required materials are prepared and shipped to your house. To cook the pre-packed but not prepared meal, you scan the barcode on the package and place the ingredients in the machine. Then, in about 15 minutes, return to the machine and plate your food. That’s all there is to it. In fact, during the conversation, Michael Lemberg cooked and plated a meal on camera.

The way it works behind the scenes is similar to some of the meal kits, but with an easy and robotic twist. The company sources the ingredients to support the recipes in its system. They then clean, cut, and pack those ingredients into containers, split by meal. They ship those packets to you, which contains the general ingredients, sauces, and spices. So far, a tried and true model. The difference, of course, is that you don’t need a printed recipe with preparation and cooking processes. Instead, just scan, cook, and walk away. You don’t even have to deal with cleanup, as the machine takes care of that (except for your plate and silverware).

Because of delivery requirements, iWONDERCOOK is currently limited to the New York area. If you are interested in learning more about the product, check out the website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

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Follinic makes regrowing lost hair as easy as wearing a cap @ CES 2021

January 29, 2021CES 2021, Health, Homeces2021, gadgets, hair, HealthPLUGHITZ Live

Follinic hair restoration cap Hair loss is a common problem for a large portion of people. We may immediately think of male pattern baldness, but females have hair loss problems, too. There have been many treatments over the years, from creams to pills, and even hair transplants. The results and price have varied wildly, and the side effects have as well. South Korean company IL Science has a new product designed to avoid all of these things – Follinic.

The Follinic does not use any internal intervention and, instead, focuses on the scalp itself. The product looks like a brimless baseball cap and fits the same way. Using various specially focused LEDs, as well as microcurrent, it is supposed to both prevent hair loss and stimulate follicles that have already stopped growing hair.

While the product has already been cleared by the FDA in the United States and has been on sale in South Korea, our guest Youngju Hwang personally questioned the efficiency of the product. So, she purchased one at regular retail and tried it out with her father. The results absolutely made her a believer in the product, having seen significant hair regrowth for her own father in just three months.

This experiment goes to show that, while we often question the efficiency of some of the products we see during CES, we aren’t the only ones. Even the employees of the companies themselves can be skeptical about whether or not their own products work as well as they are supposed to.

Follinic runs $699 and will be available through retail channels in the US soon. The company also offers a tonic and premium shampoo, both of which are designed to work together with the Follinic product to improve the results. For more information on the product line, check out the website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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BenjiLock is protecting many aspects of your daily life @ CES 2021

January 29, 2021CES 2021, Gadgets, Homebenjilock, biometric, ces2021, gadgets, securityPLUGHITZ Live

BenjiLock biometric locks Since its first outing at CES 2017, Robbie Cabral, founder of BenjiLock, has consistently worked to bring his vision of a more convenient and more secure world to reality. Our team has had the privilege of following his journey, from concept to Shark Tank and Hampton Products to today.

Last year, just before the world came to a halt, Robbie stopped by our studio to discuss upcoming products. While 2020 took a toll on the timeline of these new products, Robbie and the team at Hampton Products have managed to bring all of these products to market for 2021.

Our favorite new product last year was the BenjiLock Door Lock. In fact, we liked it so much, we secure our office and studio with one. We were in good company, as the product received a CES Innovation Award last year. This product merges the best of both companies, with BenjiLock’s fingerprint reading technology combined with the long history of security products made by Hampton Products. Honestly, we have really enjoyed the convenience of the fingerprint reader for entrance by our team. We added to it the Hampton Push-Pull-Rotate doorknob, so even with our hands full of equipment, we can open the door.

Coming at a close second was the new bike lock. When exercising, I always try to carry as little as possible, and that includes my keys. Being able to lock a bicycle while out without the need for a key is ideal for my experience. It seems like I cannot be the exception, but likely closer to the rule. Anyone wearing proper cycling gear will find it difficult to store a key for any lock, let alone their bike.

The BenjiLock Bike Lock is available for $79.99 and the Door Lock is available for $159.99. To find out what colors are available, to make a purchase, or to learn more about the BenjiLock product line, check out the company’s website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Monster Smart Illuminessence brings the color to your home @ CES 2021

January 27, 2021Accessories, CES 2021, Gadgets, Homeces2021, gadgets, led, light, monsterPLUGHITZ Live

Monster Smart Illuminessence LED decoration One of the companies that have been a consistent guest for us at CES has been Monster. We’ve talked about headphones, earbuds, speakers, and more. Last year, we had the opportunity to speak about one of the newer additions to the Monster family – Monster Smart Illuminessence. This new line of LED products has become incredibly popular, with Jennifer Garrett’s reveal of the products being our top viewed interview of 2020. So, of course, we had to have her back to show us what’s new for 2021.

In the totally new category, Monster Smart Illuminessence has a couple of really cool products. First, we’ve got The V – a clear acrylic tent with fully controllable LEDs embedded. It is able to do all of the cool swirling animations of its bigger cousins, Prism and Digit. It will come in a pack of six with a charging base. Because it is acrylic, you can use it to write on with dry-erase markers for place settings, table decorations, and more.

Next is the Arc, another device featuring the swirling LED animation capabilities. The Arc, however, is designed to be a combination lamp and headphone stand. It also includes a 10-watt Qi-certified wireless charger. In addition to the multicolor LED capability, the Arc is able to be used in warm white and reading light modes, making it a great companion for a nightstand or desk. Following along is the Studio, a ring light with similar capabilities to the Arc. It will also add the ability to be used as a clock.

2021 will also see upgrades to some of the existing product lines. Jennifer showed us a Midnight Edition of both the Digit and Prism. These devices look and function like their original counterparts, but with a dark body. The darker body mutes the lighting to an extent, but also allows it to fit into a mare natural or darker environment than the current white body.

The biggest upgrade comes to the Neon, which is an indoor/outdoor LED strip with a diffuser. The current version of the Neon can do a single color at a time but the second edition, dubbed the Neon Flow, will implement the same kind of animation as the other products in the lineup.

The company is hoping to launch these products in the Summer of 2021. For more information on the current Monster Smart Illuminessence product line and follow the journey of future products, check out their website, and for help with setting up these products, check out our How To videos.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Smoothtalker technology that boosts your cell phone signal @ CES 2021

January 26, 2021Accessories, CES 2021, Home, Mobileautomobile, gadgets, mobile, signalPLUGHITZ Live

Smoothtalker cellular boosters The modern world runs on mobile devices, and when it comes to mobile connectivity it all starts with your signal strength. That is where Smoothtalker comes in! With devices that are easy to use, Smoothtalker is bringing the world of cellular signal boosting from the commercial market to the home in 2021.

Whether you need a couple of extra bars in your home or on the go Smoothtalker has you covered. Their units made for home and commercial use are no larger than your average router and boast ranges from 6 miles to your closest mobile tower that cover a range of up to 2,500 square feet, to a model with a whopping 30 miles distance from your local cell phone tower that covers up to 5,000 square feet. With range like this you can guarantee your family and visitors complete mobile connectivity across your entire house, whether in the city or just outside the city limits.

On the go in the car, RV, or even in a boat? No worries. With a full line of mobile units for single user or multi-user use, Smoothtalker wireless boosters are ready to get you connected at. Whether it’s your office on the go or your family on vacation, Smoothtalker mobile boosters are good to go with minimal wiring knowledge needed and easy to use functionality that assures you the best connection for cellular phones and wireless devices. Even if you are taking the family out on the houseboat for the weekend, that does not mean you cannot still be connected. The Wave x6 marine booster and its water ready brethren are the solution for all your connectivity needs while out riding the waves of the internet on the lake.

Stop on by and checkout the full line of great products from mobile connectivity to mobile accessories and more today at https://www.smoothtalker.com.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Caregiver Smart Solutions eases the aging in place process @ CES 2021

January 24, 2021Accessories, CES 2021, Health, Homeaging, ces2021, connected home, gadgetsPLUGHITZ Live

Caregiver Smart Solutions aging in place technology As we age, certain abilities degrade. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong or embarrassing about this – it’s just a part of aging. However, many people still feel a level of embarrassment about these changes and will do things to pretend they don’t exist. When aging in place, ignoring these issues can be even more of a problem because they can indicate other issues, or cause future issues. Caregiver Smart Solutions has a suite of products designed to help identify these issues while maintaining privacy.

People with hearing loss will pretend all is fine and not look for hearing enhancement technology. Some will begin to experience mobility issues, and not tell anyone including their doctors. And we know when we ask our parents how they are, the answer is often “fine” regardless of the truth. This can cause a lot of stress for the families of those aging in place, and a lot of ways of checking up on your family can be intrusive. The Caregiver Smart Solutions suite allows you to learn about your family’s behaviors without installing cameras and other intrusive technologies.

In an example provided by Ryan Herd, founder of the company, think of your mother coming home with groceries. She puts them away but doesn’t completely close the refrigerator door. She isn’t able to hear the refrigerator beeping to let her know, so she leaves the kitchen and goes to watch TV. When she returns later, she finds the door open, but still uses the food that may have spoiled in the fridge and gets sick. With this solution, however, you could get an alert that there is an alarm going off in the kitchen and call your mother to check on her.

The sensors track a lot of other environmental conditions, as well. For example, you can learn whether your family is eating, sleeping normally, moving around. It also has the ability to detect falls and notify you without the need for a wearable device or a panic button.

You can purchase the Caregiver Smart Solutions in kits or individual sensors now. To learn more about the system and make a purchase, check out the company’s website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Absolar finds the best locations for solar installation @ CES 2021

January 24, 2021CES 2021, Gadgets, Homeartificial intelligence, ces2021, gadgets, LiDAR, solarPLUGHITZ Live

Absolar solar logistics For those of us in places like Florida, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, or Hawaii (where most of our CES team members have property), the idea of solar power is ubiquitous. You don’t really have to consider whether or not installing panels on your home or business will be productive or if the investment will ever be able to pay for itself. However, for those in other parts of the world, that is a real consideration. In order to help determine where solar will be a success, Absolar was created.

The company has created a fascinating system that combines two standard CES technologies, LiDAR and artificial intelligence, in a service that is not an autonomous vehicle or robot. Instead, they use massive yet detailed LiDAR scans of an entire city to map out the physical structure of an entire city. From that scan, they apply a machine learning algorithm in order to determine the surfaces on which solar panels will be the most productive and which will pay for themselves.

The technology was developed in conjunction with local governments in England in an attempt to reduce carbon output and non-renewable energy dependency. The LiDAR scans were made available by the government, and the data models were generated by Absolar. Together, they were able to map out a large number of buildings that could benefit from the installation of solar technology.

Even more interesting is that the technology is not limited to solar technology. With the scans and a new data model, they could identify other benefits, including green roofs, which is a trend that is starting to gain steam in the West. By training a new AI, new benefits can be achieved.

To learn more about Absolar or to find out how they can help your green initiatives, check out their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Cutii is a companion robot to ease social isolation @ CES 2021

January 24, 2021CES 2021, Homeaging, ces2021, connected home, privacy, safetyPLUGHITZ Live

Cutii by Care Clever companion robot We all want to maintain our independence and lifestyle as long as we can, but for seniors, that can be difficult. Memory can slip and activity can wane, but the biggest challenge is actually being alone. Senior isolation has always been a problem, and it has gotten even worse in the past 12 months. There are great services out there that can send a home health worker to the house or even a “grandkid on-demand,” but what about the in-between times? That’s where Cutii by Care Clever comes in.

This robotic companion combines the best aspects of a telepresence robot with the voice control capabilities of a digital assistant. It is designed to help relieve some of the stresses created by social isolation by creating virtual environments in which to interact with other people. For example, during CES, a Thai Chi class was held through the platform. While other virtual class platforms exist, Cutii sets itself apart because you can easily interact with your classmates. This makes the experience a lot closer to what it would be like to be in a real class.

In addition, Cutii has the ability to interact with things around the house, including smart devices. This is because of its wide range of communication technologies. Cutii can turn on lights, check doors and windows, and more. You can also summon Cutii to your location with your voice, which is possible because of the onboard sensors which create a map of the house. While voice is a common technology these days, Cutii also makes interaction via touchscreen a possibility, because it is designed to be accessible to the most people possible.

Cutii is coming soon. For more information about the product or the company, or to find out when it becomes available, check out the company’s website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Ariel is a solar-powered robot for easy pool cleaning @ CES 2021

January 23, 2021Accessories, CES 2021, Gadgets, Homeces2021, gadgets, home automation, robot, roboticsPLUGHITZ Live

Ariel by Pivot Solar Breeze There are so many pool owners these days and as everyone knows, there is a lot of upkeep to make sure it stays clean. Who wants to jump in to cool off if there is a layer of leaves and debris floating on top? Even worse, once you’re done cleaning, you are too tired to enjoy the pool. Paul Sim from Pivot Solar Breeze introduced us to a contemporary new robotic cleaning system for your pool. It’s called Ariel and it literally runs itself because it is solar-powered.

Most people clean their pool in what Paul says is an upside-down method. That is, cleaning with the device that resembles a stingray, which snakes along the bottom of the pool. By the time the debris is on the floor of the pool, it has decayed and created bacteria. It then requires more chemicals to bring the pH to a safe level, also forcing the filtration system to work harder than it has to.

Ariel floats along the top and literally scoops the debris and bugs before they decay and sink to the bottom, making the cleaning process easier. The robot has a paddle wheel that powers the movement to pick up the leaves, bugs, and debris into a mesh screen. There is a window to see how much has been collected so that it can be easily emptied. Being solar, Ariel only runs while the sun is out, making it self-powered. There is a 12W solar panel that also keeps the lithium metal battery charged.

It weighs a little less than about ten pounds. Even when the debris is collected, it shouldn’t be much more. That makes it light-weight to lift out and empty. It will be available in the second quarter, just in time for pool season. Your pool will always be “party-ready!” It retails for $528 but there is a CES special for $468. For more info go to their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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