The Best Mobile Innovations from CES 2014

A case that will turn your iPhone into a scientific tricorder, another one that can charge it or one that gives it thermal vision capabilities are just a few of the coolest gadgets revealed at CES 2014, the biggest electronics show in the United States!

CES 2014 has been going on for a few days and the innovations and gadgets presented this year are something else compared to previous editions; they reflect the huge leap in mobile technology and processing power that happened during the last few years, and some of them are things that we couldn’t even imagine possible just some time ago. Mobile innovations are all about various sensors this year, and including them into wearable items, which is normal since we are carrying powerful smartphone CPUs in our pockets that can read and interpret data coming from many parts. Some of the most impressive accessories presented so far at CES 2014 are:the thermal vision iPhone case, which seems to be something taken from a Bond movie, connects to an iPhone’s camera and with the help of heat sensors hidden inside it can display thermal images just like Predator could see with his tech. Called FLIR, the case will cost almost as much as an iPhone 4S:

• a toothbrush that connects to any iDevice and with the help of a dedicated app will send you useful info about your dental hygiene, telling you how often you brush and which areas you tend to neglect, or when it’s time to brush again.

• the tricorder-case, named Sensor Jacket, is a bulkier-than-usual iPhone case that’s packed with sensors that will turn your iPhone into a Star Trek tricorder that can analyze breath, take temperature, monitor heart rate and much more. The case is still in development and we can expect different cases with different sensors, depending on what we need to measure.

• the iPhone screen protector that adds 3D depth to your screen, called EyeFly, contains more than half a million microscopic optic cells that can display 3d content on your smartphone’s screen, provided you also use the EyeFly apps to play 3D movies or watch 3D photos.

• the smart-socks, which are used for fitness purposes, are a sensor-packed pair of socks that can tell the difference between walking and jogging and offer step-counting, speed and distance monitoring, calorie counting and also info about your walking and running techniques the weight distribution on your feet. All of this through an iPhone app, of course.

• the case with an extra battery and storage space, from manufacturer Mophie, includes a battery that can double the life of an iPhone 5S and an extra 16 or 32 GB of storage space, but don’t expect it to be cheap.

• the augmented reality contact lenses, dubbed iOptik, promise to bring anything that’s on your smartphone’s screen and more right in front of your eyes just when you need it, but they only work when paired with some special glasses. They may be a worthy competitor to the more geeky-looking Google Glass.