Roller skates, beds, autonomous flying cars, smart clothing, robots, aromatherapy, flexible video screens, wireless everything, drones, artificial intelligence (AI), toys, analytics, smart cities, and anything tech were alive and well at CES 2018 with over 2.75 million square feet of exhibits and 1,000-plus presenters. Other surprises included a flood on opening day of the show— after 190 days of no rain in Las Vegas — and a two-hour power outage at the convention center on day two. And of course, typical Las Vegas activities such as Cirque de Soleil, comedy shows, Celine Dion, and more available. What a week!

Spending time with 180,000-plus “friends” at CES in the city that never stops, walking miles exploring technology innovations, and interacting with seasoned and new colleagues was exhausting, invigorating, and overwhelming. CES has amassed an endless wave of technologies and companies dramatically impacting our lives and future. Eureka Park, the place for start-ups and research to share their stories, has grown from 60 table tops just a few years ago to a crowded maze of more than 500 booths vibrating with excitement, with representation from universities and countries around the world. The event continues to grow with no end in sight. Wonder what the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) the producer of CES, will do as the show continues to expand, but innovation and creativity are their middle names and they’ve got this one handled.

Revolutions abound not only in the mechanical aspects of products but also in data collection, analytics, and machine learning. Though for now, these are patiently cooking on the back burner as information is gathered, parsed and scrutinized. Technology permeates everything, with new interpretations and applications constantly emerging. “Catering to being human” was a dominant theme on the show floor with exhibit areas around family, fitness, sleep, wearables, sports, personal safety, health and wellness. Imagine motion sensors logging grandma’s daily routine and noticing when there’s an anomaly. Today, she doesn’t get out of bed until late morning and her son is notified so he can check on her. Lighting control was another hot topic with human-centered lighting (HCL) where tunable white light management impacts human well-being and productivity. Quality of living was also touted with products catering to enhanced indoor air quality (IAQ).

Of course, the Internet of Things (IoT) was everywhere with products, connectivity and analytics. No longer just “coming soon,” the IoT is here and expanding exponentially. Voice assistants are moving into our homes fast and help drive smart home adoption. A solid network is required to support home automation and the IoT — and network products, security and services were everywhere.

The security industry is in a lead position to leverage many of these new technologies, human priorities, and the IoT. Advances in access control, including secure package drop-off, leak detection, water management, smoke detection, and fire prediction all align with current services being delivered. Security companies provide physical security and are already the trusted party protecting the dwelling and occupants with remote monitoring activities. They operate a solid business model with recurring monthly revenue (RMR) and are connecting devices to the network. It makes sense for the security entity to expand their offerings and become the preferred party to provide additional security with network monitoring and cybersecurity.

Get informed, explore the many opportunities, join the revolution, and create the future!