CES: TV, cars, health, will define tech year

The third big theme of CES, digital health, continues to build on the show’s, err, track record in providing the launchpad for the pioneering activity trackers of the past decade. This year health tech will cover no less than 55,000 square feet, with displays ranging from digital therapeutics, artificial intelligence and sleep tech, to condition-specific wearables, precision medicine, and virtual and augmented reality.

“As the healthcare industry, policy makers, entrepreneurs, patients and business world navigate through highly complex and unpredictable territories, it’s breeding revolutionary approaches, unprecedented partnerships and groundbreaking solutions,” say the organisers.

As a result, they advise, it will be attended by anyone from healthcare providers, buyers, payers, investors, and policymakers, to consumer technology companies, developers and innovators. But it goes further: other industries starting to cross-pollinate into digital health, including the automotive, IoT, fitness and gaming sectors, will also be intruding on the proceedings.

Next week, CES will host 4,400 exhibitors, up almost 10% on last year, so expect even more new products to be launched than the “mere”  20,000 unveiled at CES 2018, for the benefit of 182,000 industry professionals attending. That’s at least one new product for every nine attendees. Little wonder CES defines the tech year.

• Arthur Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram on @art2gee

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