Tech Hub: Report from CES

The 2026 Tech Hub kicks off with a report from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and some of the “What’s Your Future Tech Wish?” answers from Senior Planet newsletter readers.

This year’s CES show – where new tech developments and products are often launched – showcased innovation aimed not just at early adopters, but at everyday consumers looking for smarter, easier, and more expressive tech experiences. Here’s the Senior Planet rundown.

WEARABLE TECH

Captify Pro Glasses 

Captify Glass offers captioning eyeglasses specifically designed to help the hearing impaired.  With great style and powerful functionality, Captify focuses on providing its wearers with hands-free, easy to read captions displayed conveniently. A phone is required for captioning;  the app requires iOS v16+ and Android 12+ to run.

 

Skip MO/GO™ 

The Skip MO/GO™ was featured inside the AARP AgeTech Collaborative’s booth; these hiking pants feature lightweight electric motors at the knees which are attached to carbon fiber structures that snap into the four adjustable carbon fiber cuffs inside the pants. (The manufacturers compare it to “a pedal-assist e-bike: you’re still doing the activity, but it feels easier and more powerful.”) They claim the product can boost your leg power by 40% on the way up, mostly by making you feel about 30 pounds lighter as you move.

.Lumen 

.Lumen is designed to help users with visual impairments navigate the world more confidently, blending cutting‑edge sensing technology with an elegant, wearable‑first approach. Some would consider this device a replacement for hard to find guide dogs, and it provides users audio and vibrations to alert them of obstructions to help with outdoor navigation.

 

Bee Pioneer 

Bee Pioneer is an AI assisted personal assistant you wear on your wrist. It’s a portable computing device that captures your daily conversations and activities, turning them into searchable transcripts, insights, reminders, and to‑dos. It uses AI to learn your patterns over time to provide personalized support.

ROBOTICS

SwitchBot Onero H1 

Switchbot, a maker of household robotic devices, offers a glimpse into the future of home robotics with the SwitchBot Onero H1. One of many robots on display at CES, it’s designed to do tasks like folding laundry, as well as compliment other smart‑home devices in your home with other potential automation solutions. The demo video shows tasks like window cleaning, making coffee, and even cooking.

 

Aiper IrriSense 2 

Aiper, a maker of smart robotic pool cleaners, introduced their IrriSense 2, a smart sprinkler system with programmable timers, customizable zones, and adjustable spray distances up to 39 feet. It promises to save time, water (they claim up to 40 percent) and money as a substitute for in-ground sprinkler systems.

 

Hyundai MobED Golf Robot

Hundai has developed mobile platform that can fulfill a variety of functions from food delivery to carrying your golf clubs. (Unfortunately, they didn’t show how it could handle the terrain of the real golf course. The world will have to wait and see for this robot to become a reality.)

Personal Tech

Clicks Power Keyboard 

The Clicks Power Keyboard is great for anyone tired of navigating a tiny touchpad keypad on a smartphone. Working with iPhones and Android phones with wireless charging (although check with the manufacturer), it is a physical keyboard that magnetically connects to your phone, and has an integrated battery.  Be aware that the keys to this are relatively small and the device is scheduled for purchase by February 2026.

 

YOUR TURN

These devices may or may not find their way into our daily lives, but they each show how quickly technology is evolving to meet real human needs.  Would you actually use any of these devices? Let us know in the comments!

 

Jeff Rose is the Director of Special Initiatives at Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP. He has been at the forefront of the intersection between aging and technology for more than 15 years in a range of settings, including life-plan communities, community-based organizations, and an age-tech startup. Based in Chicago, Jeff is active in a variety of local aging and community organizations and enjoys sharing his knowledge about how technology can impact and benefit older adults.

 

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