New Technologies & Evolving Industries at CES 2017

If you expected the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to be all about TVs, PCs, and connected homes, you might be in for a surprise. Now in its 50^th year, CES decided to expand its Marketplaces and showcase new technologies in Smart Energy and Sleep Tech – two areas where POSCO has also been working to advance its own steel technology.

While the Smart Energy Marketplace featured innovative products that provide electricity in more sustainable ways, the Sleep Tech Marketplace showcased exciting sleep-related technologies aimed at improving health through better sleep. Check out some of the recent advancements below and let us know what you think!

The Smart Energy Marketplace: Cleaner & Sustainable Electricity

As they do every year, tech giants and startups used CES to debut their new products and ideas. Just when it seemed that the market was saturated with enough cool floating Bluetooth speakers and mobile charging cases, CES 2017 took it to another level with new solar-powered gadgets.

• Designed by Lemon Technology, The California Roll is the first solar-powered, waterproof speaker. It lasts up to 20 hours with only 7 hours of sunlight, includes voice recognition capabilities, and uses NFC to offer a faster and more reliable connection with less energy consumption. Because it is waterproof, the California Roll is good to go, rain-or-shine.
• When your smartphone battery dies, iPowerUp is a case that can recharge the phone from solar cells located on the back. Its solar panels store energy and then charge your phone when an outlet is unavailable.

POSCO’s work in developing smart energy technology can be seen in the World Premium Product, PosMAC (POSCO Magnesium Aluminum alloy Coating). Solar cells need to be installed with materials that are both lightweight and sturdy enough to withstand the elements. PosMAC is uniquely suited for solar energy development because it is durable, light weight, and non-corrosive.

The Sleep Tech Marketplace: Better Sleep & Improved Health

Trouble sleeping? CES showcased a possible solution at its Sleep Tech Marketplace. In its first year, the marketplace showcased several products that help regulate your body’s circadian rhythm and provide a more peaceful sleep.

• If noises are keeping you up at night, Nightingale is a device that plugs into an outlet and masks common indoor and outdoor noises that can disrupt sleep patterns by adding ambient sounds, called “sound blankets.” Two speakers placed in two different units in a room utilize the walls to reflect sound and blend it into the background.
• PEGASI Smart Sleep Glasses solves a series of sleep related issues by generating lights of specific wavelengths to stimulate the suprachiasmatic nucleus on the hypothalamus, which controls the circadian rhythms that help regulate sleeping patterns.

POSCO has also been working to develop technologies that can help regulate sound for more peaceful sleep. PosCoZy was designed to provide a more peaceful and quieter living experience through a flooring system that can greatly reduce impact noise between floors in apartment buildings and offices. PosCoZy’s manganese Z-clips’ resistance to vibrations are 4x higher than regular steel. What’s more, PosCoZy helps reduce the sound of typical walking from 50 decibels to just 40dB, while impact sounds are lowered from 58dB to 38dB. That means you can sleep through the night without hearing the party going on upstairs.

Bigger and bolder than ever before, CES 2017 took great strides with new marketplaces, including the smart energy and sleep tech industries. POSCO continues to develop pioneering solutions alongside these breakthrough innovations as well to find advanced solutions for the 21^st century.

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