Every new year brings with it a tide of new and exciting gadgets and as tech professionals, we are always excited to see how things are shaping up in the tech world. And so far it seems 2018 will not disappoint when it comes to the weird and wonderful world of gadgetry. The experts at Syntax IT support bring you their top picks!
Robot dogs
Any true gadget lover is bound to remember Tekno the lovable robot dog launched back in 2000. He now maybe left in the realms of childhood nostalgia along with the Furby and the Rubix Cube, but in 2018 we are falling in love with robot dogs all over again thanks to SONY’s, Aibo. Aibo can carry out simple tasks like finding a ball or bone and offering high fives, but he also has pretty impressive AI advancements that allow him to develop a unique personality over time and allow him to recognise faces thanks do his facial recognition features. If you want a new pet without any of the clean up, remember an Aibo of your own comes with a pretty hefty price tag of around $1,740. Pre-orders began last year in November and shipping has already begun!
Self driving corner shop
Sick of having to travel out for your shopping? 2018 may be your year thanks to the invention of the self driving corner shop. An app is all it takes to summon the cart to your home or office. At arrival just take the items you want and the car’s sensors will detect the absent items automatically charging your account. Robomart is an idea designed and honed by a Santa Clara, California-based startup. While their prototype may be small, Robomart is in fact a driverless automated minivan. And this seems to be just the beginning in terms of advanced deliveries. Toyota has now joined forces with Pizza Hut and Amazon in a bid to supply customers with automated deliveries by self-driving trucks. Depending on what a corner shop/food business is offering, they’ll need to make sure their self-driving vehicles are equipped with the correct machinery, for instance, the use of refrigeration can be an essential part depending on the food type, so companies may want to look here as well as go online to see what type of equipment they can install and get on the move when this is up and running.
Rolling TV screen
We are pretty excited about this one. LG are currently working on releasing a 4K OLED TV screen that can be wound away into a neat little box thanks due to the vertical slats attached to the back of the tv screen. Unfortunately this design isn’t likely to reach our homes anytime soon. In the meantime though, you can take advantage of some of the smart televisions that can be found on sites like VIZIO (check here for more information) to get your reality TV fix in the meantime. Upon completion of the Rolling TV screen, this piece of tech will be sold directly to manufacturers for the time being.
Samsung modular TV
Speaking of televisions, we are also loving the Wall, Samsung’s latest offering. This is a modular television claiming to be he first MicroLED television for consumers. MicroLED essentially means that the screen is made up of millions of LED chips which means it does not need to be backlit. The fact that it is modular is a massive benefit to consumers also, enabling them to construct a screen that fits their entertainment space.
Canine friend
This one is for all the pet lovers, who experience anxiety over leaving their beloved canine friend home alone for too long, cue the LAÏKA, a rolling “companion” for dogs. This device works as a form of security to detect and keep an eye on your dog, but also keep it from becoming lonely during days spent at home. The camera and microphone can video and record your pup, sending bark alerts to your phone. The device also comes with a matching collar that allows you to track their whereabouts.
2018 is set to be a pretty exciting year when it comes to gadgets. We are just excited to see these in action.