The world’s largest trade show, CES, is only a few weeks away and as companies gear up to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, to show their latest gadgets and gear, the annual Best of Innovation awards were announced earlier this month.
The winners run the gamut of healthcare, embedded systems, automotive innovations, smart home devices, semiconductors and of course everything artificial intelligence (AI). But here are the innovations that will likely make an impact right away.
The robot is equipped with extinguishing agent and sensors that can located burning materials in real-time. Source: Widemount Dynamics
1) Smart firefighting robot
Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited has created an AI-enabled smart robot designed to be a highly automated emergency response machine for fighting fires.
Equipped with a millimeter wave radar SLAM, the Smart firefighting robot can navigate through smoke-filled environments without GPS or industrial vision. The deep learning modules classify burning materials in real-time to send the robot to use an extinguishing agent.
The robot can also use on-board sensors to measure flame power, feed data back to the command center for added deployment scenarios and a closed loop vision-actuation system to lock onto a fire and suppress it without human intervention.
These insoles contain six pressure sensors and a 6-axis motion IMU to analyze weight distribution, balance and gait. Source: Orphe
2) Smart shoe insoles
Shoe inserts have come a long way since just a softer pad that can comfort your foot as you walk or exercise. Now, insoles are getting smart complete with sensors for analysis.
Orphe Inc. has unveiled its latest insole that integrates six pressure sensors and a 6-axis motion unit into a wireless-charging design that delivers 24 hours of continuous operation. The insole has dual analysis capabilities through algorithm-based gait assessment and machine-learning powered motion recognition on-device.
Orphe said the insoles can provide laboratory-quality biomechanical data in real-world environments. Additionally, the system captures:
- Gait patterns
- Weight distribution
- Balance
How do you enhance bird watching experience? Offer a bird bath that offers a heated water stream in the winter, so it doesn’t freeze and cameras built in. Source: Netvue Technologies Co. Ltd
3) Birdfy Bath Pro
Look, bird watching isn’t for everyone. But if you are into it, this smart birdbath may have everything you ever wanted.
Netvue Technologies Co. Ltd. has won a Best of Innovation award for its Birdfy Bath Pro, which is billed as an all-season smart birdbath that features a solar-powered fountain with moving water. It also includes a deicer to ensure the water remains accessible through winter.
The birdbath includes multi-levels for different types of birds and a panoramic wide-angle lens to capture birds and a 2K dynamic portrait lens automatically tracks and zoom in on individual birds.
The Striker Volterra is a hybrid battery-electric and diesel operating vehicle that is 28% faster compared to traditional diesel only ARFF vehicles. Source: OshKosh
4) Striker Volterra
Another firefighting machine but with a twist. This one is designed for commercial airports.
Oshkosh’s Strike Volterra Electric Aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle (ARFF) is a hybrid battery-electric and diesel operating vehicle that is 28% faster compared to traditional diesel only ARFF vehicles.
Striker Volterra is National Fire Protection Association 414 and International Civil Aviation Organization certified. This includes the global three-minute response rule.
The goal is to help airports maintain uninterrupted emergency readiness as travel infrastructure expands as it is expected to double by 2042.
The Hydro Hawk drone eliminates the need for boats, travel times and delayed lab results using 5G and traceable digital logs. Source: DummDumm
5) 5G water sampling drone
DummDumm Inc. has introduced the Hydro Hawk, a 5G-enabled aerial water sampling system that brings the lab to the water.
The goal is to simplify and accelerate water quality monitoring. The drone3 flies to remote or hazardous sites, collects up to four liters of water at depths and analyzes key indicators like pH, turbidity and conductivity.
DummDumm said it is designed for environmental agencies, utilities and industrial operators. The company said the drone eliminates the need for boats, travel times and delayed lab results using 5G and traceable digital logs.
The drone could shave time and costs of water quality monitoring by 50% while improving safety of water management, DummDumm said.
CES 2026 takes place Jan. 6-9, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
