Samsung leads the CES honours parade for best innovations of the year for its updated Galaxy Buds+ and recently announced Note 20 line of smartphones. The Buds+ won in the headphones and personal audio category, while the Note 20 took honours for mobile devices and accessories. No other company that will be present at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2021 was awarded for more than a single category.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), organisers of CES, announced the CES 2021 innovation awards honourees this week. The announcements were made ahead of the first all-digital CES 2021, set to take place from 11 to 14 January 2021. Audiences from around the world will be able to participate in CES, many for the first time, as the event usually takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Audiences will hear from the world’s leading tech innovators from their own home or office, and exhibitors will launch their latest products and host live demonstrations on a virtual platform.
The CES Innovation Awards is an annual competition recognising the best design and engineering in consumer technology products across 28 product categories. The honourees of this competition receive global recognition from industry leaders and media who use the CES Innovation Awards to identify outstanding products, upcoming trends and how companies are using technology to positively impact lives.
A panel of industry expert judges, including members of the media, designers, and engineers, reviewed submissions based on innovation, engineering and functionality, aesthetic, and design. Honourees recognised as being the best of innovation are those rated highest across the product categories.
There were significant standouts.
ColdSnap, rated as best in the home appliances category. was awarded for its rapid freezing appliance, which produces a single serving of frozen confectionaries on-demand – and with no mess.
The ColdSnap machine accepts the company’s proprietary pods, a similar concept to coffee machine pods. These can be stored at room temperature on a shelf or pantry and then be frozen and dispensed in 120 seconds. The pods require no preparation and the ColdSnap machine does not require clean-up after using it. The ColdSnap makes single servings of ice-cream, frozen yogurt, frozen coffee, frozen smoothies and healthy shakes, and frozen cocktails.
John Deere was another standout, winning for the second consecutive year in the robotics category. It was honoured for its new X Series combine harvesters, which are equipped with ActiveVision camera technology. These help farmers see inside the combine’s grain tank and observe tailings, so they can monitor the condition of harvested grain. The grain can be measured right down to individual kernels. This technology is powered by proprietary algorithms and provides farmers with information to make critical decisions in the moment, and to gather data over time to inform future actions.
The combine harvester series is available in multiple sizes, with the X9 1100 being the largest offered by John Deere. Compared with previous models, the X9 1100 can harvest up to 70% more wheat per hour. The X series is able to thresh, separate or clean more bushels per hour, and harvest more acres a day.
This is all thanks to artificial intelligence, computer vision, in-field machine-to-machine communication, integrated sensors and self-driving capabilities. As a result, the combines are cable of self-monitoring, enabling farmers and John Deere service technicians to manage concerns remotely, helping to minimise downtime and support profitability.
A notable feature of the awards is that vehicle tech was recognised in with three winners in two categories, namely in-vehicle entertainment and safety, and vehicle intelligence and transportation – the latter with two winners.
Brunswick Corporation was awarded in the in-vehicle entertainment and safety category with its 1st Mate Marine Safety & Security System. IBM was acknowledged in the vehicle intelligence and transportation category, with t the IBM & The Mayflower Autonomous Ship & The AI Captain. Waymo was awarded in the same category with its Fifth-Generation Waymo Driver.
The CTA received more than 1200 submissions. Those designated as honourees, including product descriptions and photos, can be found at CES.tech/innovation. The full list of best of innovation and all honourees will be revealed during CES 2021, on 11 January 2021.
Registration to take part in CES from 11 to 14 January 2021 is available here.
The best of innovation honourees are:
1st Mate Marine Safety & Security System
Brunswick Corporation
Category: In-Vehicle Entertainment & Safety
AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series Desktop Processors
Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Category: Computer Hardware & Components
BioButton™ medical grade device and data services
BioIntelliSense, Inc., a continuous health monitoring and clinical intelligence company
Category: Wearable Technologies
EES (Electromagnetic Engineered Surfaces)
E2IP TECHNOLOGIES
Category: Smart Cities
Epsy
Epsy
Category: Health & Wellness
Galaxy Buds+ BTS Edition
Samsung Electronics, Inc.
Category: Headphones & Personal Audio
Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G/Galaxy Note20 5G
Samsung Electronics, Inc.
Category: Mobile Devices & Accessories
IBM & The Mayflower Autonomous Ship & The AI Captain
IBM
Category: Vehicle Intelligence & Transportation
Imverse Live3D rendering engine and volumetric holograms
Imverse
Category: Streaming
John Deere X-Series Combine
John Deere
Category: Robotics
LUMI Keys 1
ROLI
Category: Computer Peripherals & Accessories
OrCam Read
OrCam Technologies
Category: Accessibility
Origin Health – Remote Patient Monitoring
Origin Wireless
Category: Software & Mobile Apps
P-Next3 InstaView® Door-in-Door® with Voice Recognition
LG Electronics Inc.
Category: Home Appliances
Spatial Reality Display
Sony Electronics, Inc.
Category: Computer Hardware & Components
The Fifth-Generation Waymo Driver
Waymo
Category: Vehicle Intelligence & Transportation
U by Moen™ Smart Faucet
Moen Incorporated
Category: Home Appliances
Vespera
Vaonis
Category: Digital Imaging/Photography
VROR EYE DR
M2S
Category: Health & Wellness