2019 is shaping up to be the year of the...?
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is what 2019 will be known for.
Earlier this year, after the Consumer Technology Association’s CES Show in January, my response was consistently that I truly felt 2019 was shaping up to be the Year of the Mechanical Human. Thanks to robotics gaining a new level of mass fascination, and a desire for strangely soothing mechanical companions, I’ll admit, I too was becoming a fan.
I mean, come on, the bot-companion that recognizes 1000-plus voices and carries the smarts of a toddler who on command scurries over or will beg to be hugged? Also referred to as a “pet,” the US$3,000 bot has the potential to become an active member of any family, minus the responsibilities and sitter bills that go along with traditional two- and/or four-legged family members!
Several months later, after attending an overseas product development show where global trends are scattered among 13 pavilions, I am still having information overload from the experience, where innovation was filled with all-things-robotic along with many items that projected a realistic twist of practicality.
Several products deemed “believably feasible” were mostly either fascinating or entertaining. From a fully automated bread-making machine that handles all the steps from flour to the finished loaf, to a suitcase that follows you around on flat ground or while climbing stairs, a first-responder car equipped with legs allowing it to drive, walk or climb over challenging terrains, cordless hairdryers that dry from the inside out, tiny wearable devices that track and alert wearers about dry skin conditions, indestructible pantyhose or an iRobot that cleans windows, the “why didn’t I think of that” feeling kept coming up.
Although we’re seven months into the year, the next time I’m asked to fill in the blank for “The Year of…” question, I’ll toss “robotic innovation with a dose of practicality” into a blender for a mixture of what I feel embodies what 2019 is shaping up to be.
Sherri Scheck-Merrill, vice president, Amenity Services, Tustin, California
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