Need An Alexa-Powered Showerhead? A Canine Mood Sensor? Must Be Time For CES

The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas kicks off this week. As usual, it features everything from the absurd to the sublime. Though as the following new product ideas suggest, probably more of the former. JL


Georgia Torbet and Andrew Tarantola report in Engadget:

The AI Speaker can be purchased with or without a new showerhead, so you can also fit it to your existing shower. It's powered by Amazon Alexa and fully waterproof. The (canine mood sensor) device monitors, records and analyzes your dog's emotional states -- since dogs' heart rates spike when stressed or anxious -- creating a predictive index of their mood. The dog's current mood is displayed via the LED display, with green denoting relaxation, red equating to stress and a rainbow for overall happiness. An associated iPhone or Android app provides additional estimates such as the relative mix of the dog's various emotions.

Morning showers aren't usually thought of as a time for entertainment, but if you're really determined to make use of every minute you could try out Kohler's new showerhead with a built-in smart speaker.

The Moxie AI Speaker can be purchased with or without a new showerhead, so you can also fit it to your existing shower. It's powered by Amazon Alexa and docks magnetically, and of course it's fully waterproof with a IPX67 rating. The speaker is tuned for bathroom spaces so it can be heard over the noise of the shower, and it has tactile control buttons and cordless charging.
You could brighten up your evening ablutions with a shower-based sing-a-long, or listen to new or podcasts while you're getting ready for work in the morning. With a playback time of 6-7 hours, the product will be available to order later this year and will cost between $99 and $229 depending on options.
Kohler is also introducing other smart home products including the Aquifer Refine water purification system with WiFi connectivity, the Setra touchless kitchen faucet which can monitor your water usage, the DTV digital shower system which lets you set shower mode presets, two toilets with touchless flushing or intelligent water efficiency features, a heated toilet seat and an outdoor backup generator for if your power goes out.

Despite spending the last 32,000 or so years adapting and evolving to become our most loyal companions, a dog's mood can still occasionally prove inscrutable to their human's understanding. Is Fifi yipping because she's excited or scared? With the help of Inupathy's upcoming device, you'll soon be able to tell.

The device itself consists of a small heart rate monitor, onboard processor and LED display mounted into one of five harness sizes that fit everyone from Chihuahuas to St Bernards. The device monitors, records and analyzes your dog's emotional states -- since dogs' heart rates spike when stressed or anxious -- creating a predictive index of their mood. The dog's current mood is displayed via the LED display, with green denoting relaxation, red equating to stress and a rainbow for overall happiness. An associated iPhone or Android app provides additional estimates such as the relative mix of the dog's various emotions. The company doesn't have a shipping timetable for the US yet but is considering a crowdfunding campaign in the near future.