AgeTech at CES 2023 – Who Shone Brightest and Led the Charge?
** This article is about AgeTech at CES 2023, to check out the CES 2024 review, go here.**
It’s 2023 and AgeTech startups are taking the world by storm. At CES 2023, which is one of the most (if not the most) influential tech events in the world, AgeTech took center stage and AgeTech startups have gotten some well deserved media coverage and attention. From keynote speeches featuring industry leaders at AARP’s AgeTech Summit, to startup showcases, CES 2023 attendees were able to learn more about the exciting innovations in AgeTech, and how these innovations are transforming the way older adults live. Which startups won awards, launched products and shone brightest?
AgeTech Product Launches at CES 2023
The award-winning Labrador Retriever robot from Labrador Systems can assist people to live independently by carrying objects such as food, drinks, laundry and others around the house. The company, backed by iRobot Ventures and Amazon Alexa Fund, returned to the Consumer Electronics Show in 2023 to exhibit new features. With Amazon Alexa installed on the robot, the Labrador Retriever can now be voice controlled. Mike Dooley, the company’s CEO, demo’d the new capabilities:
Nobi, the AI-powered smart lamp that is already a proven medical device in the Belgian market, is now available in the US and other countries for use by assisted living communities and nursing homes. New features of the smart lamp include the ability to monitor distress indicators such as irregular breathing and coughing.
The AgeTech Collaborative at ces 2023 – AARP Startup Pitch Competition
The pitch competition for AgeTech startups at CES has become an annual tradition, which draws a crowd of investors, entrepreneurs and payers. This year, the event was hosted by comedian Ken Jeong.
The startup that won this event was Onward Rides – a ride sharing service for older adults and others who need minor physical assistance. Riders are accompanied by trained and vetted companion drivers who can offer a little extra help to riders who need a hand. This service can by senior communities, hospitals, and health plans as a healthcare transportation solution.
Opsis transforms any smartphone into a personalized nutrition advisor. Using its Plateful app (to be released later this year), you can scan meals or food packages and learn about portion size, nutrition value and the effects on your health and on the planet. The app eschews manual tracking of food choices in favor of artificial intelligence-based processing that learns your preferences and helps you change your diet for the better.
PeerLyfe is a social network for your 55+ and residential community which offers older adults who live at a senior living community to “Socialize online in your community, at your pace, where you belong.” Founded by 19 year old Lyman Starmer, the company has raised close to $1M of funding in 2022.
Wesper, an at-home sleep lab with professional guidance, promises its users “Better SleepWithin Two Months”. Using an app and padded sensors, Wesper’s sleep experts can evaluate your condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan.
Eureka Park Accessibility Awards Contest Winners
Another annual contest for AgeTech startups and startups develop technologies to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Hosted by the CTA, it recognized startups that have launched their products in 2022.
Biomotum Spark by Biomotum
The Biomutom Spark, is a battery powered, flexible ankle exoskeleton designed to provide ankle joint assistance or resistance during daily walking activities for older adults with neurologic or orthopedic conditions.
Kalogon Smart Cushion by Kalogon Inc.
The Kalogon Smart Cushion is a wheelchair cushion designed to relieve pain, improve posture, increase blood flow and provide weight shifts and pressure relief to reduce the risk of pressure injury.
Badger by Satellite Displays Inc.
Badger is a closed captioning smart badge used to convert speech to text in real time, in 50+ languages. Check out this video to see how it works:
Ara by Strap Technologies INC.
Ara is a wearable, handsfree device with sensors that transcribe the environment, providing blind or visually impaired users with support to move faster and safer throughout their everyday lives. Check it out:
XanderGlasses™ by Xander
Created by MIT Media Lab alum Alex Westner, Xander Glasses are smart glasses providing captions for conversations in real-time to help persons with hearing loss. Using augmented reality (AR), the XanderGlasses combine technology with sensory substitution. When you can’t hear what someone is saying, our glasses let you see what someone is saying in real-time. See XanderGlasses in action:
AgeTech Products That Won Innovation Awards at CES 2023
I strongly believe that exoskeletons can and will be utilized to assist direct care workers in the physical aspects of caregiving, both in the home and in long term care facilities.
One example for such a product that is already being used in hospitals and storage facilities is the Cray X, which won the Best of Innovation Awards in the wearable category. To read more on this product from German Bionic, click here.
WHILL has won a Best of Innovation award (again) in the accessibility category, this time for the WHILL Autonomous Model A. In December, the company announced that Winnipeg Richardson International Airport has become the first airport in North America to implement WHILL and Scootaround’s autonomous wheelchair service. WHILL utilizes advanced mapping technologies combined with the latest in sensors and collision avoidance, designed to significantly change how individuals with limited mobility and reduced sensory or fine motor skills navigate large venues, such as airports, theme parks and hospitals.
The Consumer Electronics Show of 2023 was a great showcase for the innovative AgeTech startups that are shaping the future. Companies from around the world showcased their products and demonstrated how technology can be used to tackle the challenges of aging and enhance quality of life. It was a great opportunity for stakeholders to come together, explore the potential of AgeTech, and create meaningful connections for the future.
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