Recently I was at a dinner with a friend who attended the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Each year, I like following the news articles describing the gadgets, gear and gunk that gets presented, and as a gadget geek, wish I could attend. My friend is an engineering executive at P&G, and the inventor of the Lumi device, which is kind of a “fitbit for diapers”. Her device won the Best Family Tech award at CES 2020 from Parents Magazine. My wife and I lamented that when our kids were infants, we used the old fashioned way of determining whether a diaper change was needed: infant crying – check, infant recently fed – check, something smells funny – check…
CES 2020 as usual was filled with these types of devices, designed to automate, digitize and data-enable the tasks we face in the world around us. From flying taxis from Uber and the latest laptops and foldable screen phones to weird gadgets like the Charmin Roll Bot toilet paper robot, inventors are leveraging AI, data gathering and other advanced technologies that can add value beyond convenience – they can make everyday tasks safer and possibly reduce risk to property and to life and health.
If you missed CES like me, and want to catch up on some of the technology and muse on how it may affect insurance in the future, here’s a list of interesting articles to consider (and see the links mentioned above):
- These were the most talked-about products at CES is a roundup of some interesting tech, including thoughts on Uber’s flying taxi, which would obviously open up new insurance needs for drivers and passengers.
- The Very Best Gadgets We Saw at CES 2020 includes a look at Linksys’ wellness pods, which could provide advanced monitoring for the elderly or those recovering from injuries (think DI or Worker’s Comp applications).
- CES 2020 proved VR and AR are thriving—and moving into automobiles discusses how automotive manufacturers are considering VR and AR for heads up displays and other applications.
- CES 2020: What’s Driving Innovation presents trends that will affect tech in 2020 and beyond, including faster bandwidth speeds via 5G and Wifi6, “ambient technologies” that leverage our motions and voice to better interact with devices and our increasing interaction with robotic devices. These advances will affect insurance operations through faster communications and improved interactions with customers.
If you’d like to talk about CES, gadgets and how all this may affect the future of insurance, please contact me.
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