Weird and wonderful highlights from CES 2020: Cat robots and the mirror that tells you you’re ugly

This week in Las Vegas CES 2020 is in full swing, with plenty of new consumer tech being announced left, right and centre. 

Alongside some of the usual, expected announcements of 8K televisions, rebooted smartphones and a few interesting innovations, there are also plenty of gadgets coming completely out of left field that are downright odd, and might even be kind of…pointless?

That’s not to say that there isn’t something intrinsically wonderful about these products, too, though, so we have summarised some of the more intriguing unveilings at the trade show below.

Inupathy by Langualess Mood Detecting Dog Harness

The 90s called – they want their mood ring back. It turns out our favourite floofs can get on the mood ring action now, too, all with the help of the Inupathy by Langualess mood detecting dog harness. With an LED display that flashes up a variety of colours, the harness utilises its heart rate sensor to detect different heartbeat patterns, presumably from there matching up varied patterns to an assigned emotion.

Our only real question is: does it work on cats? Or should we just settle for the fact our cat is in a constant state of savagery and doesn’t really love us?

Venus Smart Make-Up Mirror

Because there isn’t already enough in the way of messages telling us we’re not good enough at the hands of the fashion and beauty industries, here’s another way to remind us of the impossible beauty standard not even supermodels can truly meet. Yep, Alexa is now about to dive in and tell us we’re all ugly and could do with cashing out on some extortionately priced dermatological lotions and potions to sort out our subpar skin. Great.

In truth, the Venus smart make-up mirror offers an illuminated mirror with a touchscreen display, equipped with Amazon’s Alexa. The AI assistant offers all its usual features such as telling you the weather forecast, as well as offering skin diagnosis for any blemishes or other skin conditions highlighted. It also doubles up as a speaker and mood lamp, though, which is pretty cool when you’re getting ready in the morning.

BellaBot Cat Waiter Robot

There have been a few robots spotted bopping around CES 2020, looking to lend a helping hand or, where the Lovot Robot is concerned, a reassuring hug – but how about the cat waiter, BellaBot? Brought to us by Pudu, BellaBot can swiftly deliver food and drink to a specific table once a table number is inputted. With Slam technology for weaving through the obstacle course of a restaurant, as well as interlinked suspension so the wheels can tackle any kind of flooring, kitchen to table service may about to be a lot smoother. Maybe.

Did you know Lovense was one of the first companies to integrate sex-tech with a VR game?

Come by our booth (#46529) at CES to see a demo of our Max 2 toy, integrated with our Mirror Life VR game.#Lovense #VR #CES #ConsumerElectronicsShow #CES2020 #SexTech #LovenseWay pic.twitter.com/gw1cpeGuLP

— Lovense (@Lovense) January 2, 2020

Max 2 VR Game

Being honest, this one feels a little too Black Mirror for our liking. The Max 2 VR Game is Lovesense’s male masturbator complete with a female VR porn experience.

Short of having to navigate the weird ethical intricacies of having sex with robots, it’s also a bit disconcerting to think all our needs in terms of human interaction and connection could be met by tech gadgets. Much like growing fears we text and interact with our friends via social media more than picking up the phone or actually physically hanging out, it’s not difficult to see a world where virtual sex becomes easier than going out and seeking someone we actually find attractive. Yikes.

Samsung Sero TV

The essence of the Sero TV by Samsung is that you can watch TV regularly and flip to a vertical view – with the whole display spinning 90 degrees – when you want to watch vertically made content. Think TikTok videos and Instagram Stories. Of course, the Sero TV works seamlessly with Samsung handsets, but you can also enjoy AirPlay 2 compatibility if you’re an iPhone users, to link up and mirror what’s on your smartphone on the 43-inch display.

Aside from sometimes choosing to watch a YouTube video on the TV rather than on your phone or laptop, there may not be much use for a television that can twist round automatically simply for vertical content. That said, watching it in action, you can’t deny there isn’t something satisfying about it.

Introducing #TheSero, a new lifestyle TV with an ability to pivot between horizontal and vertical orientations – just like a smartphone or tablet. #FirstLook #CES2020 #SamsungCES2020 pic.twitter.com/R1ljUDXuPQ

— Samsung US Newsroom (@SamsungNewsUS) January 6, 2020

Juno Reverse Microwave Oven

Okay, this just seems stupid. Whoever invented Juno’s reverse microwave oven mustn’t have heard of a refrigerator. Anyone that’s looking to add a ‘reverse microwave’ to their wish list are experiencing a classic case of more money than sense.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand the theory, especially as it pledges to cool drinks in just one minute. But this seems like one of those appliances taking up room in your kitchen, gathering dust, readily waiting for that moment one day where you physically cannot function without a glass of chilled prosecco. It’s… excessive.