Baby tech booms at CES 2019
Tech solutions for pregnancy, birth and babycare have had a steadily increasing presence at CES over the past few years. Now, as millennials enter their peak pregnancy years, tech brands are targeting this lucrative market in earnest – with smart, sleek solutions that provide peace of mind, and look great, too.
Here are three key launches from tech trade show CES that caught our eye last week, direct from the showfloor.
Miku: baby monitors grow up
Miku‘s $399 baby monitor upgrades the standard baby monitor in a number of ways. Using military engineering technology, it tracks advanced analytics including breathing, sleep patterns, room temperature and humidity, all without needing contact with the baby. Local processing means it’s not dependent on an internet connection, so it’s reliable even when home wifi might blink out – ensuring peace of mind round-the-clock. Parents and other caregivers can check-in remotely, via smartphone or tablet, while HD speakers ensure that lullabies are crystal clear. Last but not least, its sleek, white-cased design will ensure that it fits into every Scandi-inspired nursery scheme beautifully.
Owlet: a design-led pregnancy wearable
Owlet is best known for its smart sock baby monitor, which can track heart rate and oxygen. Now it’s turned its attention to wearables for pregnancy, with the Owlet Band – a bump wrap that can track fetal heart rate and kick count, from 24 weeks to full-term. Connecting to a smartphone app, the stretchy, comfortable band can also send alerts about contractions, and generates an overnight report each night detailing sleep position, kicks and more. The product is currently in beta and is due to launch later this year.
VR Fetus: visuals from within the womb
A step up from even the most advanced ultrasound scan images, VR Fetus provides a virtual reality way to ‘meet’ your fetus in amazing detail. The experience can be used to help parents to visualise how the baby is moving and growing, ‘cuddle’ it as though it were in their arms, and observe features up close. Similarly to Inger Marianne Wiering’s project from Dutch Design Week 2018, it offers a way to bridge the gaps between ultrasound scans, and beyond them, so that expectant parents can feel even more closely connected to their baby as they grow.
Want more? WGSN subscribers will be able to access our full trend and innovation reports from CES 2019 early next week. In the mean time, check out Millennial Mums: Pregnancy Wellness for a deep-dive into the new generation of pregnancy aids currently hitting the market.
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