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



Follinic hair restoration capHair 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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RoboEatz ARK 3 automates the kitchen of a restaurant @ CES 2021



RoboEatz robotic kitchenFor small restaurants around the world, like most businesses, one of the largest costs is payroll. The real problem for restaurants is that margins are usually razor thin. Over the past few years, many restaurants, especially here in the United States, have been looking at what can be done to reduce payroll costs. Many fast food and chain restaurants have added ordering kiosks and at-table computers. However, the place that could really reduce cost is in the kitchen. In addition to the cost of labor, there is also food waste. RoboEatz has developed a robot that can help with both of these issues – the ARK 3.

The RoboEatz ARK 3 is a full kitchen automation system that can replace the kitchen staff and equipment of almost any restaurant. It takes up only 200 square feet and can serve 1000 meals without needing to be replenished. That replenishment process is also easy, as the system is able to use its sensors to determine when supplies are needed and place the order itself.

The first concern of any restaurant owner is the ability to maintain their menu and customer relationship. Implementing new technology that ruins your brand image is not going to be a win. ARK 3 allows you to create and fully customize your recipes, meaning you can keep your food exactly as it is. Even better, through the system’s mobile app, customers and servers can easily adjust their order, including ordering partial portions.

On top of the cooking process, ARK 3 also takes care of all of the cleanup. In fact, the process takes place between each and every order, eliminating cross contamination. This means that it can prepare and cook regular dishes and vegan dishes without any issues.

The company is currently working to build a prototype restaurant to show off the robot, while also working with other restaurants to implement the technology in the future. For more information on the ARK 3, check out the company’s 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



BenjiLock biometric locksSince 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



Monster Smart Illuminessence LED decorationOne 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.

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Knuckles 5 puts all the drone control you need in one hand @ CES 2021



Knuckles 5 single-handed drone controllerKostiantyn Borysov is the creator of Knuckles 5, a multi-faceted, one-handed drone controller.

Drones are a big business in the U.S. Of the nearly 2 million drones registered with the FAA, about 1.3 million of them are recreational drones. There are currently over 200,000 certified remote pilots. By 2025, it is estimated that the market for commercial drones will exceed $13 billion per year (Stastica). So Knuckles 5 made a prime time entry at CES 2021, with some promising new developments in accessibility and functionality.

Designed initially around the idea of a flight stick, Knuckles 5 utilizes a single 5 button, 3 analog joystick with eight axes, and two modes. The device features two trackballs – one moved by the index finger and the other by the thumb – to control a drone along a combined four axes. Two more axes controlled by a mini-joystick, and another two axes by an IMU (inertial measurement unit) that picks up controller tilt. Using GUI (graphical user interface), it is technically possible to have 19 possible axes or 40 different buttons configured through the custom set up feature – all controllable with one hand. Borysov said the controller also provides for faster drone control than current controllers offer.

Still under development, the controller will be able to potentially control everything from pocket drones to commercial UAVs. And more intriguingly, the controller makes it possible to control two drones at the same time. Knuckles 5 opens up drone flying to people with disabilities, and Borysov is currently seeking people to test the device. While designed for flying drones the controller can also be used for video game play.

Knuckles 5 is expected to be available some time this year, and will retail at around $250 to $300. Visit the company’s website to learn more.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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ProMytheUs talent discovery promises a fulfilling future @ CES 2021



ProMytheUs talent scoutingVedica Jha, from Case Western University, is the founder of ProMytheUs, a talent discovery software tool. With research showing that 8 in 10 people are unsatisfied with their job and career paths, the tool promises a way to a more fulfilling future by helping people identify what they’re really good at, and connect with schools and jobs best suited to them.

ProMytheUs was inspired by sports talent scouting. Jha and her cofounder, both math majors, wondered why no one scouted for math talent the same way they scouted for baseball and basketball talent. Their platform initially focused on identifying mathematically skilled talent and has now expanded to 27 different fields of expertise.

Their talent identification is aimed at 7 to 22-year-olds, Jha says, because it’s much harder to tell someone who is older that they might want to change their academic or career path. Parents, by default, are their secondary market, although there is obvious potential for integrating into business markets.

The goal of working with youth and young adults is to find talent early and help them nurture that talent. While there are many personality-based tools like Myers-Briggs or strengths finders, Jha says there are no other talent-based software tools that can identify a person’s core talent, something that you’re naturally good at

There are three parts to the ProMytheUs process. The first part is the Find My Talent tool, a 3-8 minute assessment that helps the user identify or confirm their talent. After that, they can proceed to register their talent or register any of the 27 available categories if they don’t feel the one identified is accurate. Although their current rate of accuracy, Jha says, is 95%.

The third part of the process involves a series of questions the individual can answer about themselves, with a section for Testimonials from friends, teachers or family to share statements and stories about the individual, and an Evidence section, to upload things that showcase the person’s talent.

ProMytheUs seeks to be a one-shot stop for talent, and provides four different avenues of access, for students, educational institutions, companies, and recruiters, who can all access the talent database for their different needs.

The project is two-thirds completed. Users can currently find their talent on the platform and receive a talent report that includes two different scores that they’ve built a mathematical algorithm for – their secret sauce – that provides recommendations for the user. The final third of the project is called the Talent Lifecyle Plan and is being designed to give people a future projection of their talent progress based on milestones and suggested resources.

To learn more visit the website or call 312-989-4089 to connect in person.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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MightyMic Pro brings high quality audio to any device @ CES 2021



Ampridge MightyMic ProPaul Ackel, Vice President of Ampridge, a U.S. based company that makes the MightyMic, a microphone for smartphones and cameras, joined us at CES 2021 to tell us about some of their latest developments in microphone technology.

Their core product, the MightyMic Pro, is a wireless Bluetooth microphone that can be paired to almost any device and can transform almost any headphone into a wireless microphone. Designed to work with most popular apps, the latest iteration of the MightyMic is the MightyMic Pro 3, a robust mic designed to accommodate a longer battery life, reaching 9 hours on a single charge. It also allows for the addition of external microphones. With three different sensitivity settings, it provides highly customizable audio recording. Additionally, the Ampridge MightyMic Pro employs a unique circuit design that solves the challenge of playing back music when recording video.

Ampridge delivers its MightyMic Pro in a series of different packages serving different needs. The MightyMic L-Pack includes the wireless adapter plus a clip-on Lavalier microphone, providing an off-the-shelf solution for hands-free broadcasting from any device. The MightyMic F transforms the mic into a mini-shotgun microphone. The Mic F effectively provides 4-in-1 microphone capabilities, with a fuzzy windscreen attachment for outdoor use on a DSLR or other device, the ability to attach it to the mic jack on a tablet or phone, to a phone rig, or to a boom pole. With the MightyMic adapter attached, you can also wirelessly stream audio. The MightyMic is also compatible with most gimble mounts.

The Ampridge adapter allows users to take any traditional 4-pin designed headphone microphone and turn it into a wireless microphone. Ampridge also makes the MightyMic C, a directional hand-held microphone with multiple settings and an XLR cable.

The MightyMic Pro retails for $80. The L-Pack sells for $100. The F-pack and the C pack both retail for $110.

Visit the company’s website for more info and find their products on Amazon.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Actasys gives your vehicle and its sensors 20/20 vision @ CES 2021



ActaJet by ActasysVehicles these days are extremely sophisticated with intricate computer systems. They have many sensors used for everything from outside temperature to automated braking. Because these sensors are generally exposed to the elements, they eventually need to be cleaned. Unfortunately, many are too sensitive to come in contact with, while others are not easily accessible. Even worse, what happens if they get dirty while you’re on the road? Actasys has developed a technology to autonomously keep the sensors clean and functioning.

The company’s technology, which is called ActaJet, is a unique sensor cleaning system. It uses small focused jets of air to keep the lenses and covers clear of dirt and debris. This is done by a series of small actuators, which means there is no need for fans, pumps, or compressors. This ensures optimal operation of the sensors and cameras in all environments and weather conditions.

Imagine driving down the interstate following a large truck. The truck hits a puddle, spraying mud and water all over your car. You can clean your windshield with the wipers so you can see again, but your car doesn’t have the same ability. Suddenly your automatic braking system, lane guidance, and tailgating alarm stop working. That’s why ActaJet was created.

Actasys focuses its attention on working with the sensor builders and OEMs, meaning that the vehicle manufacturers don’t have to do anything special to incorporate the technology. Because ActaJet is designed in a cartridge, all that is need is a single power wire instead of tubes or valves. The ease of implementation is a core aspect for wider adoption. Being an electronic device, one of the concerns is always power consumption. The system draws less than 10 watts of power and as low as one. This reduces the potential drain on the battery.

For more information go to the website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Smoothtalker technology that boosts your cell phone signal @ CES 2021



Smoothtalker cellular boostersThe 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.

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



Caregiver Smart Solutions aging in place technologyAs 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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