Five Startups That Caught Our Eye at CES 2018

CES 2018 was full of exciting gadgets, many of which gave us a peek into the future of technology, while some were just too bizarre for our liking. There were plenty of Indian companies displaying their wares at the expo too. Several startups were showing off their latest gizmos, some of which solve first-world problems such as folding clothes, while others aim to solve healthcare problems that affect the entire world. Here are five products made by startups that caught our eye at CES 2018.

Miko Plus

Mumbai-based robotics company Emotix’s robot for kids — Miko — is getting an upgrade. The startup is going to address one of Miko’s limitations with the refresh, which is called Miko Plus. While Miko requires you to use a smartphone to issue commands to the robot, Miko Plus will allow you to issue voice commands directly, with no smartphone involved. The prototype we saw at CES 2018 looked promising and Emotix is aiming for a mid-2018 launch. Also, Miko Plus will be available in multiple colours as opposed to Miko’s white, and it’s going to be more expensive than the Rs. 20,000 that the original one costs.

Nuraphone

We also got a chance to try a pair of headphones that adjusts itself to your hearing abilities. The Nuraphone is a Kickstarter project that was successfully funded and you can now get yourself a pair for $399 (roughly Rs. 25,600) plus shipping and Customs duties. It uses a pair of over-the-ear cups with in-ear headphones built inside, giving it a distinctive design. There’s an app that tunes the audio to your ears, by playing different tones into your ears and measuring the response, which we couldn’t test properly due to poor connectivity on the crowded show floor, but we did like the sound quality of this pair of headphones.

FoldiMate

Tired of folding clothes after washing them? Perhaps a machine that folds your clothes could ease your pain. FoldiMate could be that machine, as we observed in a post on our Instagram page. It claims to be able to fold your clothes in around four minutes, but there are a lot of riders. It can’t fold small clothes such as underwear or socks, and with large clothes, you’ll have to button up your shirts before you put it in the machine. There’s also the fact that it’s not going to be shipping until 2019 and it’s expected to cost roughly $980 (roughly Rs. 63,000).

Sensio Air

Thanks to the overwhelmingly toxic air in many Indian cities, many of us have started using air purifiers in a bid to keep the air clean inside our homes. At CES 2018, we spotted a similarly useful gadget called Sensio Air. It monitors the air in your home and claims to be able to identify various pollutants and potential allergens too. In theory, this could help those suffering from chronic allergies identify their triggers, but the pre-order price tag — $999 (roughly Rs. 65,000) — is not going to make Sensio Air accessible to everyone.

Siren Diabetic Socks

Another healthcare startup on this list, Siren makes smart socks for diabetics. If you’re suffering from diabetes, Siren Diabetic Socks can detect any foot injuries you might be suffering from and inform you via a smartphone app or text messages or phone calls. The company claims that its product can detect foot ulcers and that helps people treat them quickly, which in turn prevents a rise in body temperature and helps diabetics. It ships in pairs of seven for $179 (roughly Rs. 11,500) and the company recommends that you replace the socks once every six months.

Which are your favourite CES gadgets? Let us know via the comments.