Mind-Blowing Innovations: The Quirky Gadgets Unveiled at CES 2025

A solar-powered vehicle, an air-purifying feline tower, and a mobile charger designed to deliver a full day’s energy in merely two seconds have been among the striking gadgets attracting attention at the CES tech exhibition in Las Vegas. This yearly event has been taking place this week, with over 100,000 participants from the technology industry present to explore the multitude of new gadgets displayed. The showcased items range from nearly market-ready to conceptual products intended for future release, spanning across various categories from smart home devices to electric automobiles. Notably capturing interest is a product from Aptera Motors, which has arrived at CES boasting what it claims to be a ready-for-production solar electric automobile. This vehicle is equipped with solar panels integrated into the hood and rear, allowing for a travel distance of up to 400 miles on a single charge, according to Aptera. Furthermore, the company estimates that drivers can receive an additional 40 miles of complimentary driving each day simply from the solar energy harnessed, suggesting that in sunny areas, individuals could potentially achieve over 10,000 miles annually of solar-powered motoring – diminishing the dependence on home or public charging systems. However, Aptera is not the sole electric vehicle capturing attention at CES, as tech titan Sony has revealed that its electric car, Afeela 1 – developed in collaboration with Honda, is now available for ordering for the first time. Anticipated to commence deliveries in 2026, the vehicle will begin at just under 90,000 dollars, which includes a three-year subscription to a suite of in-car features, including semi-autonomous driving assistance and an AI-driven personal aide. Historically, robotics have been a significant highlight at CES, and this year continues that trend, showcasing an extensive array of robots aimed at assisting humans in diverse capacities. Two robot vacuum cleaners that have garnered attention feature differing supplemental capabilities intended to enhance their utility. The X50 Ultra, from the Chinese company Dreame, boasts retractable legs enabling the robot to “hop” over small stairs or ledges in the home, allowing it to access areas that other robotic vacuums cannot. Nearby, another robotic vacuum producer, Roborock, is presenting the Saros Z70 at the show. What distinguishes Roborock’s gadget is its foldable mechanical arm, capable of picking up and relocating, or tidying away, minor obstructions it encounters during its cleaning routine. Additionally, another innovative home assistant robot, Samsung’s Ballie, is making a return to CES this year. Initially introduced at the event five years prior, Samsung claims this device is set for public launch in 2025. Ballie is conceived as a smart home companion and features a built-in projector, allowing it to display reminders or other information in response to vocal commands, as well as projecting videos onto walls as requested by the user. Meanwhile, one of the unexpected successes of the technology exhibition has been a mobile charging system presented by the startup Swippitt. They have developed a smartphone charging solution that can fully recharge a phone’s battery within two seconds. This is accomplished through a clever combination involving a phone case that houses a battery pack for wireless charging and the Swippitt Hub, a device resembling a toaster that swiftly replaces the battery pack in the case with a fully-charged one when the user inserts their phone. The firm claims that this system can double the battery life of a user’s phone in just two seconds and includes several backup batteries integrated into the Hub, enabling multiple family members to recharge their devices throughout the day. On the more unconventional side of the announcements is a creation from tech powerhouse LG, which merges an air purifier with a cat perch. The AeroCatTower features a cozy spot for felines atop the purifier, complete with a heated basket to keep cats warm and an integrated scale allowing users to monitor their cat’s sleep duration via LG’s ThinQ smart home application.