CES Diary: The Tech Trance, But What Do We Take Home

CES 2017 is finally over – four days of pure tech chaos. The most important names in the business ensured they were wow-ing the nearly 200000 visitors and the many more than did not make it to the forum. Connected cars, homes, sports, health, baby, sleep, drones, beauty, VR – there was something for almost everything.

As a journalist from India, while it was interesting to see all that I could from this, be amazed at the way some of the brightest minds of this generation are thinking and see solutions for problems we did not even know existed, the bigger question was how much of this tech would make its way to India. And also, where does India stand on this global technology stage.

To both questions, the answer is not too flattering or relevant even. India’s population base, the age in the country’s growth cycle and priorities on what is next leave some time before technologies such as these are interesting to consumers in India.

Autonomous cars are a long way away for even some of the more mature markets, since they depend on highly sophisticated infrastructure, city road maps and various such rules. Connected cars will be here sooner, and that is one area to watch out for. How the international car manufacturers will score over the Indian car manufacturers would be an interesting watch in that front.

Will the Indian postal system or courier services begin considering drones for delivery and what impact that will bring. Or will consumers be interested in smart tooth brush and hair brush to know more about their dental habits or hair maintenance is still a little difficult to imagine.

The only exhibitor from India that was making any noise was Delhi-based Boltt Sports Technology with its two co-founders making a mark with their proposition for the sports wearables industry. Aayushi Kishore, the Co-founder and Director of the company articulated the company’s plans and how it used AI to go a step forward from all that other wearables in the market had to offer, including the global names.

As a platform, CES challenges to think out of the box, to push the borders of technology employing the best of design and data and to search for solutions that will make a difference to human lives.