The Coolest, But Weirdest, Tech From CES 2021

CES – the biggest and influential tech event in the world – was a little different this year – a sis the case for most trade shows as the pandemic continues, but it still went ahead, simply in virtual form.

CES always showcases its share of cool, fascinating, and sometimes just plain bonkers tech every year. We’re concentrating on the latter today because it’s always fun to see projects that are a little off the wall and wonder how future technology might be affected. And we’re pretty sure CES 2021’s weirdest tech will not disappoint you, as it didn’t us.

Mojo Vision Lens AR Contact Lenses

These contact lenses bring tech right to your eyeball. They can display, via microelectronics, all kinds of useful information in your field of vision. Once you put the lenses in they can show you things like directions, the weather, or notes for an important presentation. It’s literally like having a cheat sheet for your eyes and a lot easier to wear than Google Glass.

Razer Project Brooklyn Concept Gaming Chair

Every gamer who sees this almost faints, and for good reason. This really is – or it would be if it were more than just a far off production concept – the best gaming chair ever.

In a single piece of tech, it’s almost a gaming rig by itself. A 60″ rollout OLED emerges from the back of the chair at just the touch of a button. A collapsible table stowed inside has modular 4D armrests, allowing you to move easily between console and PC gaming. And you’ll feel every bump, strike, and explosion with Razer HyperSense Technology embedded into the chair’s structure.

WOWCube System Handheld Game

A brand new take on the old Rubik’s, the WOWCube System Handheld Game is another of the weirdest, but coolest gadgets from CES 2021. It features 24 high-resolution screens and eight autonomous modules. It also has a built-in CPU and multiple magnetic connectors. And, since it’s made with an open API and SDK, you can even develop new games to play on it.

MOFLIN AI Robot Pet

THe MOFLIN AI Robot Pet is, in many ways, the 21st century evolution of the Tamagotchi. During lockdowns lots of people have decided to make a furry friend a new member of the family. But not everyone has a landlord who is agreeable to that, and for them, the MOFLIN AI Robot Pet may be an interesting alternative.

This AI powered furry ? (it’s hard to tell what it is) is very close to a real furry friend though.Thanks to an algorithm which analyzes changes in its environment through sensors, it grows and develops its own emotions.

Over time, this little pet becomes attached to its owner and, through a range of sweet sounds and gestures, communicates its feelings towards you. Those feelings will not include asking for kibble and bones though, so that may be another plus over the real thing for some!

Samsung Bot Handy Smart Home Robot

Speaking of AI, and lockdowns, how would you like your own robot butler too? Though the idea is not new (Rosie the Robot arrived over 50 years ago) this one is as cool as it is strange. It can do all the things you would want a home robot to do; wash dishes, clear up a messy kid’s room, pour wine and more. Bot Handy completes these impressive tasks and more thanks to advanced AI that helps it recognize and pick up objects of different sizes, weights, and shapes.

5 Reasons to Choose Fiber Optic Cables Over Copper

When you are building a network that requires long distances, high speeds, and/or heavy bandwidth connections, there is no question: fiber optic cables win the day.

To understand why, it’s important to understand the differences between the two.

Both cable types transmit data, but in very different ways. Copper carries electrical pulses along its metal strands. Fiber optics, on the other hand, carry pulses of light along flexible glass threads. This difference often equates to fiber being the best solution for a new or upgraded network, and therefore being worth the heavier up-front investment.

5 Reasons to Choose Fiber Optic Cables Over Copper

  1. Fiber optic transmission is faster

The standard way to measure data transmission rates is via bandwidth. These days, it is measured in gigabits of data per second (Gbps), or even terabits per second (Tbps).

Copper-based transmissions currently max out at 40 Gbps, whereas fiber optics can carry data at close to the speed of light. In fact, the bandwidth limits imposed on fiber are primarily theoretical, but have been tested to be measurable in hundreds of terabits per second.

  1. Fiber optic transmission can cover greater distances

Both copper and fiber-based signaling suffers from attenuation, or a weakening of the waveform signal over distance. However, fiber optic cables can transmit data over much longer distances. In fact, the differences are vast.

Copper cables are limited to lengths of 100 meters (~330 ft.), per governing standards. Longer distances are theoretically possible, but may introduce other problems, preventing copper from being a reliable transmission method at greater distances. Fiber optic cabling, depending on signaling and type of cable, can transmit up to well over 24 miles!

  1. Fiber optic cables are unaffected by electromagnetic interference (EMI)

By its very nature, the electrical signaling in a copper network connection generates a field of interference around the cables. When you have multiple cables running near one another this interference can bleed into the nearby cables, hindering the desired messaging. This is referred to as crosstalk, and can force expensive retransmission of the message, or even pose security risks.

The light transmission in fiber optics does not generate any EMI, so fiber is more secure, and requires less retransmission, ultimately leading toward a stronger ROI.

  1. Save space and enhance cable management

Fiber optic strands are extremely narrow. In fact, they’re measured in microns, or millionths of a meter. The most common fiber optic strand is the same diameter as a human hair. Yet as we’ve seen, they can transmit incredible amounts of data, at much higher speeds, over much longer distances than their less narrow copper counterpart. Fiber optic cables do require protective sheathing, which “fattens” them up to a least two millimeters in width.

A single standard category 6 copper cable is roughly four times that width, and carries a fraction of the data. When you use fiber, it takes up much less space and is more flexible (and therefore easier to manage).

There are additional bonuses to this size reduction in cabling mass: the freed-up space enables better circulation of a data center’s cooled air, makes it easier to access the equipment it’s plugged into, and generally just looks much more aesthetically pleasing.

  1. Fiber optics are future-proof

Every year the amount of data we consume increases, as do bandwidth requirements. Investing in a modern fiber optic cabling infrastructure will allow your network to operate at future speeds without replacing the cabling.

A solid multifiber backbone in a structured environment will last for years, if not decades, and likely continue to support increasing bandwidth needs. The average lifespan of a copper category specification, on the other hand, is a little over five years.

Also bear in mind that the technologies and equipment that use cabling (switches, signaling optics, servers, etc.) generally tend to decrease in cost as time goes by. It is therefore probable that higher-end connectivity will become even more affordable in the future.

Data Installers Inc. is a leading Fiber Optic solution integrator and installer. Our team has extensive experience installing high-speed cabling networks. Contact us today to discuss your network project and how we can help.