There’s technology we rely on to make our lives easier, and then there’s — well — the zanier stuff we never knew we might want or need.
Robots, cars and virtual reality continued their reign as the stars of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas; but, among the more than 3,800 exhibitors, there were some products that grabbed our attention in a different way.
Related: From Black and White TVs to Robots: CES at 50
Here’s a look at our ridicu-list, profiling some of the silliest or strangest looking tech that piqued our curiosity.
iDerma
Get ready to bask in the glow of beauty.
This “facial beautification system” from Apira Science claims to give smoother skin and reduced wrinkles for people who wear it for three 10 minute-sessions a week.
Using a patented LED-based light therapy regimen, the device straps to the wearer’s head and comes with a face plate that is then hooked to the front.
It’s a bit clunky, but Apira Science claims people who have used it see a noticeable difference. The company has also been a player in the hair regrowth space, with another contraption said to stimulate hair growth — that is, if you still have follicles.
GeniCan
Throw out your shopping list! (Literally.) The GeniCan trash can will happily take on the task of tracking what groceries you need.
One of several smart trash cans at CES this year, GeniCan users sensors and voice recognition to add items to a list stored in a companion app. They’ve also partnered with Amazon Dash, allowing users to automatically order key items from Amazon.
Who would ever have thought that in the future, their garbage can would be making their shopping list?
Spartan
This French underwear has one job: to protect your family jewels. Spartan boxer briefs are designed to protect male fertility from what the company says are the “harmful effects” of mobile phones and Wi-Fi radiation.
One very enthusiastic Spartan employee happily modeled them at the Sands Expo while talking about the company’s philosophy that “we don’t want to stop using technology or change our habits to stay safe.”
Shade Craft
As if there was ever any doubt, technology continues to allow us to get lazier and lazier.
Shade Craft has an autonomous, robotic umbrella called Sunflower that tracks the sun and moves to ensure you’re not accidentally burnt to a crisp when you’re lying there on the beach, thinking about things other than moving your own umbrella.
DigitSole
Yes, even shoes are now connected to the internet. DigitSole is out with a dozen new models this year, and the one we can’t seem to get over is the high-heel you can control with your smartphone.
A single tap will change the heel height, so if you’re not digging the idea of walking a mile in four-inch stilettos, you can lower the heel to your preferred level.
Or, you know, you could just carry a pair of flats in your bag.
