The top tech innovations at CES (so far)

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is still 24 hours away from its official start, but we’re starting to talk to the companies – big and small – that hope to make a splash with new tech and products in 2015. 

PC Pro contributing editor Jon Honeyball spoke to a number of the startups on show at CES Unveiled. Here are three that caught his eye.

True 3D headphones

Audio is always big news at CES, but mostly we see small improvements or big-name announcements. As Jon explains, this is something very different:

“Headphones are great, but its possible to do some really funky stuff with binaural simulations, and ways of making 5.1 surround work in a headphone.

“A new startup in Paris, 3D Sound Labs, is launching a headphone which uniquely has a real-time head tracker. So it knows how you are moving your head around, and can move the sound field to match. Imagine this for gaming, where you can be fully immersed. It’s working on importing B-Format recordings from Soundfield microphones, which is a particular interest of mine.”

Flashing bike jackets

There’s no shortage of flashing clothing in the world, but it’s almost always to make a fashion statement. Or lack of fashion statement (anyone else watch The Apprentice this year?). Jon found a company offering something rather more useful.

“Wearable Technologies from Leicester had a small booth showing its wiring integrated bike jackets complete with flashing LED lights. Designed to be waterproof, and washable, the whole technology step of getting tech into clothing is very new for 2015. I liked what I saw, and asked for a motorbike version. One to keep an eye on, especially for winter bike riding.”

Wi-Fi-connected smoke alarm batteries

Jon’s final pick fits in with a big theme of this year’s CES: the internet of things. It seems no object is too small to avoid being connected, but this one isn’t just hype – it could save lives.

“Another thing which caught my eye — take a standard PP3 battery and add a Wi-Fi transmitter to it. Then put it into a smoke detector and have a smartphone app which tells you what the battery level is, and whether the smoke detector siren has sounded.

“It’s a great use of enabling smart devices which just plug into existing solutions. This approach will always have good traction because we already have a good use for the product. Go to www.smartroost.net to follow their route to market.”