Robot ping pong, giant arcade games, ball pits entertain at CES

For those in the technology industry, CES is serious business.

Over 170,000 attendees descend on Las Vegas for the largest trade show of the year. And more than 4,000 exhibitors take up space on the show floors to present their products.

Gadgets and innovations that draw the largest crowds offer something free or something fun.

This year, there’s an emphasis on fun as exhibitors draw attention to their booths.

Google

At CES 2019, Google took attendees for a ride — literally. The technology company constructed a Disneyland-style ride that traveled through a bakery, a highway and a thunderstorm to demonstrate the applications of its Home Hub device.

This year, Google is taking up a similarly massive footprint at the Central Plaza at the Las Vegas Convention Center to demonstrate the use of its Google Assistant.

Visitors can walk through the 10-minute immersive experience called “Change of Plans: A Google Assistant Journey.” Guests navigate through a day in a life and experiment with using Google Assistant in the car, in the supermarket and at home. In groups of six, attendees can speak queries to solve problems and propel the story forward.

The only way to get down from the second-story attraction? Ride a brightly colored slide into a ball pit.

Forpheus

If the robots are staging an uprising anytime soon, you’ll first want to work on your backhand.

Japanese electronics company OMRON has set up an interactive booth in the South Hall of the convention center to showcase the applications of its artificial intelligence, wellness and automation technologies.

Its AI-equipped robotics table tennis tutor Forpheus is designed to study, learn, assess and improve every day. And it’s really good at table tennis.

Attendees can take a swing against Forpheus in a real game. The robot analyzes players’ precision, blink rate and emotional state, plus the velocity and rotation of the ball to plan its return.

“Right before you strike the ball, it’ll already know where the ball is going to land within a fraction of an inch or so,” said Matt Trowbridge of OMRON. “And that’s how it’s able to react so quickly. It already knows where the ball is coming, right. So we thought it’s a fun way to show all of our technology is working together.”

Arcade games

CES is a hub for gaming in all its forms, be it state-of-the-art virtual reality, high-resolution displays or seemingly real graphics.

But attendees are swarming toward old-school gaming.

Arcade1Up sells officially licensed arcade cabinets so casual gamers can play classics like Frogger and Pac-Man in their original forms or in smaller, more convenient packaging.

The main attraction is a 16-foot-tall version of NBA Jam, which Arcade1Up calls the tallest arcade game in the world.

Anyone remember NBA Jam? You can play it again at #CES2020. Only this version is 16 feet tall. pic.twitter.com/fLUe4WBnAw

— Janna Karel (@jannainprogress) January 7, 2020

Attendees climb scaffolding to reach the controls and compete on a screen large enough to draw an audience.

HYPERVSN

HYPERVSN, initially backed by Sir Richard Branson in 2011, has recently attracted additional investment from Mark Cuban, among others. The company develops 3D holographic systems that provide immersive experiences for viewers.

At CES 2020, HYPERVSN has applied its holographic technology to create a playable Tetris game.

Attendees can use large buttons to rotate, position and drop pieces in the classic arcade game. This dynamic version allows pieces to rotate as if suspended in thin air.

Esqapes VR massage

Massage chairs at CES are a far cry from the Sharper Image recliner seats of the early 2000s.

Modern massage chairs engulf those in need of relaxation with armrests that grip, fitted calf massagers and technology that reclines and lifts automatically.

OHCO, a company that develops full-body shiatsu massage chairs, is collaborating with Esqapes for this year’s trade show.

Esqapes, founded by Micah Jackson, is a massage center in Los Angeles that pairs massage chairs with VR headsets to transport clients to far-flung destinations during 30-minute massages with extra components such as sound, heat and aromatherapy.

“For 95 percent of people who come in, it’s their first experience with VR,” Jackson said.

On the show floor, attendees can try out the massage chair and block out the hustle and bustle of the South Hall with a VR headset that simulates serene locales such as beaches and waterfalls.

Promobot Terminator

When the Terminator said, “I’ll be back,” it’s hard to say if he knew he’d be back as a countertop service robot.

Promobot manufactures autonomous humanoid service robots. They have artificial skin, can imitate human emotions and converse automatically. The idea is that they can be used as administrators, guides and home assistants.

For CES, Promobot created one that looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.

Visitors can interact with the robot and ask him questions like “How are you?” and “Can you tell me a joke?”

Forum8 VR ride

Many CES visitors are taking VR for a spin this week. For those who’d rather take a spin more literally, Korean company Forum8 has developed a ride that utilizes the technology.

The company develops VR that can be used in simulators, such as its UC-win/Road city planning design studio.

For CES, designers came up with a VR video of the Las Vegas skyline at night that riders experience through a headset. The ride swings, inverts and rotates in 360 degrees as riders soar over the city.

Impossible sliders

Free food is a hot commodity at the annual trade show.

This year, Impossible Foods was in attendance to announce the release of its newest product, plant-based pork.

At its booth at the Central Plaza of the convention center, visitors could help themselves to free samples of the Impossible White Castle sliders.

NEON Artificial Human

Star Labs, a company backed by Samsung, is debuting what it calls its first Artificial Human.

The company says the NEON looks and behaves like a real human and can show emotions and intelligence.

At its booth at CES, life-sized versions displayed on high-resolution screens adjusted their jackets, rocked on their heels and shuffled papers while real people looked on.

Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter. A Twitter List by reviewjournal