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Eye tests are an important part of life, but they arent always the most convenient things to work into your schedule. Its an issue Eyebot thinks it has solved with its kiosk, which shrinks the time taken from 20 minutes to closer to three minutes. Plus, you dont need to book an appointment where an optician will lean too close in to your face while trial and error-ing corrective lenses. As mundane as a subject as a visit to the eye doctor is, this device could have some fairly massive ramifications. And, having tested it, I can certainly see the benefits.Eyebot CEO Matthias Hofmann said that, despite the popularity of online glasses retailers like Warby Parker, 85 percent of Americans prefer to buy glasses in person. But accessibility is a big issue, especially in areas where there arent enough eye doctors to efficiently process tests. Hofmann added that this issue is far worse in rural areas, where people may need to drive for an hour or more to see an eye doctor, and then wait two weeks for their prescription to be filed. Its these two maladies that Eyebots kiosk is meant to address, allowing people to walk up and complete their eye test whenever they want.The test itself is very simple, you just walk up to the kiosk and let the big touchscreen walk you through the steps. Youll answer some basic screening questions this test is suitable for those aged 18 to 64 and then complete a fairly perfunctory letter test. Once thats done, youll be asked to stare at a picture of a hot air balloon (but not the picture youre thinking of). All the while, two banks of three infrared cameras are scanning your eyes to create a 3D model of your retina and optic nerve. Once thats done, you just need to share your email address and then wait for your prescription to be filed.But you dont need to worry that your eye health is being left to some algorithm making its best guess. Eyebot explained that each of its prescriptions are sent to an eye doctor working remotely who can look at the data the kiosk has generated, signing off on the prescription. Thankfully, I was able to compare this prescription with my last eye test (conducted by a professional) from the previous year, and found that Eyebots results matched it perfectly. It is worth noting, however, that Eyebot cant run any medical tests; like the little puff of air blown onto your eyes to measure the pressure your eyes can withstand, which shows your risk of glaucoma. Consequently, while you can get your prescription with this process, youll still be advised to take regular visits to see a clinician. Eyebot is presently operating in limited numbers in some Walmart and Sams Club stores in Pennsylvania, with plans to roll this out across the US in the near future. For the former, youll need to pay, while the latter comes as a benefit of your membership. Hofmann said that he envisages a future where there are Eyebot kiosks in shopping malls or at brick and mortar stores for online glasses retailers to grease the wheels of getting that fancy new pair of specs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/eyebot-promises-an-accurate-eye-test-in-a-couple-of-minutes-160000668.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
CES 2026 isn't the first year we've seen a wave of interesting robots or even useful robots crop up in Las Vegas. But it's the first year I can remember when there have been so many humanoid and humanoid-like robots performing actually useful tasks. Of those, Switchbot's Onero H1 has been one of the most intriguing robot helpers I've seen on the show floor, especially because the company says that it will actually go on sale later this year (though it won't come cheap). Up to now, Chinese company Switchbot has been known for its robot vacuums and smart home devices. Much of that expertise is evident in Onero. The unexpectedly cute robot has a wheeled base that looks similar to the company's robot vacuums, but is also equipped with a set of articulated arms that can help it perform common household tasks. I was able to see some of its abilities at Switchbot's CES booth, where Onero dutifully picked up individual articles of clothing from a couch, rolled over to a washing machine, opened the door, placed the items inside and closed the door. The robot moved a bit slowly; it took nearly two minutes for it to grab one piece of clothing and deposit it inside the appliance which was only a few feet away. I'm not sure if its slowness was a quirk of the poor CES Wi-Fi, a demo designed to maximize conference-goers attention or a genuine limitation of the robot. But I'm not sure it matters all that much. The whole appeal of a chore robot is that it can take care of things when you're not around; if you come home to a load of laundry that's done, it's not that concerning if the robot took longer to complete the task than you would have. The laundry is done and you don't have to do it. That's the dream. Under the hood, Onero is powered by RealSense cameras and other sensors that help it learn its surroundings, as well as on-device AI models.The demo of course only offered a very limited glimpse of Onero's potential capabilities. In a promotional video shared by Switchbot, the company suggests the robot can so much, much more: serve food and drinks, put dishes away, wash windows, fold clothes and complete a bunch of other frankly, impressive tasks. The Onero in the video also has an articulated hand with five fingers that gives it more dexterity than the claw-hand one I saw at CES. A Switchbot rep told me, though, that it plans to offer both versions when it does go on sale. Which brings me to the most exciting part about watching Onero: the company is actually planning on selling it this year. A Switchbot rep confirmed to me it will be available to buy sometime in 2026, though it will likely be closer to the end of the year. The company hasn't settled on a final price, but I was told it will be "less than $10,000." While we don't know how much less, it's safe to say Onero won't come cheap. It also seems fair to say that this will be a very niche device compared to many of Switchbot's other products. But, if it can competently handle everything the company claims it can, then there's probably a lot of people and businesses that would be willing to pay.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/switchbot-came-to-ces-with-a-laundry-robot-you-might-actually-be-able-to-buy-153000025.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Throne has rocked up to CES 2026 to show off its forthcoming toilet computer which uses computer vision to study your poop. It hangs from the side of the bowl and has a camera and microphone to track bowel motions and urination and offer feedback. It was co-founded by (activity tracker) Whoop co-founder John Capodilupo, who explained the hardware is designed to understand what your base state is to be able to identify when you fall out of that pattern. Capodilupo explained the hardware will look at how often you go, the texture and size of your motions, as well as the volume. The eventual aim is to be able to analyze your gut health, adding that as a GLP-1 user, that sort of data is vital to manage the symptoms of those drugs. The battery lasts for a month on a single charge but you wont be forced to drag it out of the bathroom to re-juice it. The device ships with a 13 foot long USB-C power cable which should stretch long enough from your nearest outlet to the toilet. At this point, we cant talk to its efficacy but will certainly be looking to test this thing when it arrives at some point in February. Pre-orders are open, and it can currently be picked up for $340, plus a $6 per month membership. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/throne-from-the-co-founder-of-whoop-uses-computer-vision-to-study-your-poop-150000606.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
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