The Innovators Studio with Phil McKinney

When you’re in the middle of an important project and equipment fails, you want it fixed fast.  In this week’s show I talk with Blitzz Co-founder Rama Sreenivasan. His company is solving the inefficiencies of tech support.  Blitzz’s customer support innovation integrates AI, AR, and live video to solve problems faster.

Winding Journeys Connected

As a chemical engineer working on medical devices to starting a SaaS company, Rama’s path has taken some unexpected twists.  But at the heart of it, he is a problem solver.  The source of his inspiration: his dad who he likes to call “MacGyver”.

Rama founded Blitzz together with co-founder Keyur Patel two years ago.  They most recently participated in CableLabs Fiterator.  This accelerator program helps startups develop a product-market fit aimed at the cable industry.

A System That Assesses Without the Hassle

When instruments stop working, it’s time to bring in a helpful live assistant. Blitz’s customer support innovation allows a better perspective of and feel for the problem. Through live video chat, companies can avoid spending for onsite technician visits. The customer support is not only heightened, but it is also trained to see around the inconspicuous.  Innovation in repair operations contributes to cuts in labor fees and time processing.  What prompted Rama to create Blitzz’s innovative approach?  During his PH. D and Post-Doctoral work, frustration with equipment breakdown mid-experiment was the impetus.  The long wait to get repairs done seemed a waste. Rama felt there had to be a better way.

AR Perception

In any given company, customer support could always be better. That’s why the addition of AR technology adds to the customer experience. Questions can be answered faster and more efficiently. No longer does one have to worry about the hassle of scheduling an in person visit. AR perception captures it all. This innovation allows one on one human interaction on a more convenient level.

AI Intelligence

Equipment can malfunction and run the risk of being unreliable. AI customer support can redirect the customer to questions and answers that may be a better fit. This AI customer support innovation, becomes its own teacher. The AI brings with it the ability to learn from the information that it processes.

Lessons Learned

Rama highly recommends entrepreneurs go through an accelerator.  He learned critical elements of the startup process through that experience.  He also credits passion for driving the startup process. Connecting with mentors can help fan the flames of that passion.

If you’d like to track the latest with Blitzz, visit the website: https://blitzz.co/ or check out Blitzz on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We’re coming up on the launch of Season 15 of Killer Innovations. We’d love your feedback on what you’d like to hear on Killer Innovations for the next 15 years.  Get in touch and let me know.

To hear the interview with the Co-founder of Blitzz Rama Sreenivasan at #CES2019, listen to this week's show: Customer Support Innovation: Solving Problems Faster S14 Ep51.

When you're in the middle of an important project and equipment fails, you want it fixed fast. In this week's show I talk with Blitzz Co-founder Rama Sreenivasan. His company is solving the inefficiencies of tech support. Blitzz's customer support innovation integrates AI, AR, and live video to solve problems faster.

Winding Journeys Connected

As a chemical engineer working on medical devices to starting a SaaS company, Rama's path has taken some unexpected twists. But at the heart of it, he is a problem solver. The source of his inspiration: his dad who he likes to call "MacGyver".

Rama founded Blitzz together with co-founder Keyur Patel two years ago. They most recently participated in CableLabs Fiterator. This accelerator program helps startups develop a product-market fit aimed at the cable industry.

A System That Assesses Without the Hassle

When instruments stop working, it's time to bring in a helpful live assistant. Blitz's customer support innovation allows a better perspective of and feel for the problem. Through live video chat, companies can avoid spending for onsite technician visits. The customer support is not only heightened, but it is also trained to see around the inconspicuous. Innovation in repair operations contributes to cuts in labor fees and time processing. What prompted Rama to create Blitzz's innovative approach? During his PH. D and Post-Doctoral work, frustration with equipment breakdown mid-experiment was the impetus. The long wait to get repairs done seemed a waste. Rama felt there had to be a better way.

AR Perception

In any given company, customer support could always be better. That's why the addition of AR technology adds to the customer experience. Questions can be answered faster and more efficiently. No longer does one have to worry about the hassle of scheduling an in person visit. AR perception captures it all. This innovation allows one on one human interaction on a more convenient level.

AI Intelligence

Equipment can malfunction and run the risk of being unreliable. AI customer support can redirect the customer to questions and answers that may be a better fit. This AI customer support innovation, becomes its own teacher. The AI brings with it the ability to learn from the information that it processes.

Lessons Learned

Rama highly recommends entrepreneurs go through an accelerator. He learned critical elements of the startup process through that experience. He also credits passion for driving the startup process. Connecting with mentors can help fan the flames of that passion.

If you'd like to track the latest with Blitzz, visit the website: https://blitzz.co/ or check out Blitzz on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We're coming up on the launch of Season 15 of Killer Innovations. We'd love your feedback on what you'd like to hear on Killer Innovations for the next 15 years. Get in touch and let me know.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

When you don't find a way to differentiate from the pack, you run the risk of losing uniqueness. What attributes do you have that you may not realize? Listen to this week's Five Minutes to New Ideas. Find out how you can get the most out of any opportunity or idea.

Getting around in the big city can be easier than in smaller, less populated locations. In many areas across the country, getting from point A to point B is dependent on having a vehicle. This can present a challenge for people who don't have access to a personal vehicle. With this in mind, our guests today are solving this problem for communities in Ohio. At the Consumer Electronics Show, co-founders of SHARE, Ryan and Hoa McManus, join us in the Mobile Studio. Ryan and Hoa tell us about seizing the opportunity with microtransit innovation. What evolving transit demographics are shaping this corner of transportation? What innovative changes are upcoming? SHARE has a new angle on microtransit: meeting the needs of an overlooked market.

Going Places

SHARE, a startup founded 2-1/2 years ago, has been contributing to a better future in ride systems. Their focus is to provide regularly scheduled transit for the trips people take the most. Trust is at the center. They serve school systems, healthcare systems, and workers commuting. SHARE fills the gap between public transport and ride-sharing. It's affordable and reoccurring, flexible and reliable. This benefits a significant unmet market: senior citizens. The number of cities that the company serves continues to grow. SHARE is proving to be a model of microtransit innovation - a safe and efficient transport system. SHARE gets people where they need to be on a daily and weekly basis.

Investing in the Team

Packing up and moving across the country, Ryan and Hoa joined an incubator. They weathered the highs and lows. Finishing the incubator program, they promptly informed their investors about their decision to pivot. As I say, always invest in the team rather than the tech. Their investors stuck with them. They then joined an accelerator program. From buying their first vehicles, to operating a fleet of vehicles, the tough decisions were made. As SHARE grows, it confirms those were the right decisions.

Microtransit Innovation: Lessons Learned

Through their shared experience as co-founders, Ryan and Hoa have learned different things.

For Ryan, a resounding lesson is to have more clearly defined roles. Startups can get overwhelmed if they don't establish who does what from the very start. Everyone should know where they fit and what their tasks include. It will come together if things are organized and understood. This way, the team can efficiently move towards the end goal.

Hoa's major lesson was to have grit amid the challenges as a woman entrepreneur in the transportation industry. Bouncing back from the low points builds endurance. Facing off with the innovation antibodies with grit makes all the difference. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Want to find out more about Ryan's and Hoa's microtransit innovation through SHARE? Track what they're doing on their website ridewithshare.com, or on Facebook (facebook.com/ridewithshare/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ridewithshare/).

We're starting Season 15 of Killer Innovations in March. We'd love to hear your thoughts on what you'd like to see and hear on Killer Innovations for the next season and beyond. Drop me a line and let me know.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

This week's Five Minutes to New Ideas examines the importance of building onto existing products that are lacking. Sometimes, making that 180 degree turn from the existing norm can really pay off. Forget the obvious solution. Take a crazy gamble. Could you create a standardized offering of a custom product? Don't be afraid to go the opposite direction from everyone else.

If you've attended the Consumer Electronics Show for many years, your perspective can be invaluable. For Tim Bajarin, preeminent Silicon Valley analyst and President of Creative Strategies, this is his 44th CES. When he speaks, the tech industry listens. Tim joins us in the Mobile Studio to give his impressions on CES 2019. What trends does Tim notice? Which innovations will impact our future? Overall, CES 2019 is one of incremental innovation. Nevertheless, there are innovation gems that can prove to be life savers and game changers.

Trends that Matter

Of the ever-evolving innovations at CES, Tim is intrigued by those in the health area. This year he sees a strong emphasis on digital tech impacting people's health. The Omron blood pressure watch, the first of its kind, is one of those innovations that will have huge impact. For Tim, the health care innovations are fascinating in their far-reaching effect, but also on a personal note. As more people face health issues and aging in place becomes a focus, the tech world has taken on the challenges. Stay tuned for blood pressure on the iPhone.

Ahead of Its Time

Tim recalls the flexible displays I worked on while at HP. Well, they've caught on and come a long way. Flexible displays are a big opportunity. LG's rollable TV is staggering in its resolution, durability, and sheer size. The breakthrough of flexible displays is shown in multiple ways at CES, especially in television display. The use cases for others are yet to be seen. It's incremental innovation applied in new ways that's captured the public's attention.

Feature Wars

Tim and I talk about what I like to call the 'feature war' in the chase for ever increasing resolution displays. Although content is lacking for 4K, the TV makers are pushing towards 8K and beyond. 8K is a big deal at CES 2019. Expect to see it making a breakthrough, especially since Japan has made 8K broadcasting a requirement for the 2020 Olympics. Keep eyes out for its appearance next year.

The distinction between High Definition HDR displays and 4K is not easy to perceive. In fact, people notice the color more so in the High Definition HDR. When asked to identify the 4K display, people actually chose the High Definition HDR more often. Similar is the difference between 4K and 8K. The industry moves forward towards 12K and 16K. Are these increasing resolutions useful to consumers? The competitors in the resolution race may at some point need to reassess the needs of the consumer.

Audio Innovations

Tim talks about the medical devices that are becoming game changers. Namely, hearing aids with a fine tune audio capturing. The movement in the sound technology means lower costs to consumers for a basic health care need. Innovations of better audio-centered hearing aids are on the rise. Starkey, the leading hearing aid maker, is going the next step tying Alexa into the hearing aid. What the tech world is missing is a focus on audio. The tech industry has razor sharp focus on optics, with little attention to audio. As AR and VR grows, some attention to audio will be necessary. Starkey's new product will tie in to AR use. The incremental transference of heightened audio is something to get excited about. No longer will the cost be daunting for the consumer. These devices will grow with you while adding more freedom.

Apple Services New Direction

Apple announced they'll be working with major TV manufacturers to bundle Apple services iTunes and Airplay on TVs. Apple is setting the groundwork for their services, moving their services in new directions through collaborative efforts. With Apple services bringing in $10 billion a quarter, it's becoming a dedicated focus.

Thank you to Tim Bajarin for his return to our show.

My Review

In this show, Tim and I touch on innovations in healthcare. It's a topic close to Tim and me. For example, I've had to use a hearing aid for a number of years. I was given a pair from Eargo to try out. I had an opportunity to meet with the head of innovation at Starkey. It's exciting what's happening in hearing aid innovations.

Aging in place is becoming a focus and challenge. We're seeing incremental innovations in this area. As consumers age, tech is addressing the needs of the aging population.

Both Tim are I skeptical about the increasing resolution feature wars. What is a feature war? Industry locks on to a feature and trains the customer to buy the product with the best offering for that feature. There may be minimal or no advantage to the upgraded feature, but it's the hook to catch the customer. Innovators beware: don't get caught up in a feature war. Pick your differentiation carefully.

This year is the year of incremental innovation at CES. It alternates from year to year between high impact innovation and incremental innovation. Not every company has dipped into this tick tock pattern. There are some companies at CES doing the high impact innovations. We'll be looking at those in upcoming weeks.

If you know of a big impact innovation, let me know. Drop me a note.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

Consumer complaints and product feedback can turn your product around. Don't stop at simply resolving an issue. Instead, ask the question, "Who complains about my product?"

This week's Five Minutes to New Ideas examines how customer feedback and complaints have changed the way some companies do business.

As the hype settles, practical AI emerges. The use of AI in various forms is gaining traction. Who can benefit from AI and how? Steve Guggenheimer, Microsoft VP of AI and ISV, joins us in the Mobile Studio at CES 2019. He shares his thoughts on CES and how AI is taking shape. The cool AI of last year gives way to the practical AI of today.

CES 2019: Electronics and More

Steve, like myself, is a CES veteran. He's been coming to the show for years. What has stood out about CES 2019? Clearly, it's no longer just about electronics. In fact, technology has taken over with just about every industry represented. Yet, for Steve, there hasn't been a clear theme for CES 2019 above the din. A noticeable change over the years is the companies represented. Among the TV manufacturers that have dominated in the past, new companies and relatively recent ones are taking center stage. From Amazon and Google to startups and new Chinese companies, CES 2019 is quite different from that of 15 years ago. Some of the trends Steve noticed were smart homes, AI, Mixed Reality, and quantum.

Besides the displays, one of the biggest benefits of CES is the side meetings. CES brings all the right people together. It's the perfect chance to schedule meetings with customers, clients, partners the world over without having to travel all over the world.

Overhype, Disillusionment, and the New Wave

Although some things are overhyped, companies are less prone these days to hype their products. Things get notice and tracked. As Steve puts it, he sees "less of companies sticking their necks out." The hype is still there and often it's propagated by press with limited tech savvy. With too much hype raising expectation, the trough of disillusionment looms.

Both Steve and I have done vision videos. Rather than hype, vision videos convey the work of innovation and how it can play out in the future. Innovation takes investment, commitment, and time. Overhype doesn't factor that.

The building blocks of yesterday – compute, storage, networking - are not the building blocks of today. IoT, blockchain, AI are the new wave of building blocks. People need to get out of the hype cycle and see the horizon.

AI and ISV

At Microsoft, Steve works with ISVs. Steve helps line of business ISVs move towards SaaS.

In addition, his focus is on AI. As AI is becoming a hardened layer in the stack, cognitive services research is moving into APIs. This is the work of the Microsoft Azure team.

Of the basic elements of AI – the cloud, data, the algorithms – the rate of change for the algorithms has "accelerated immensely." The innovation in machine learning comprehension tool sets is "superfast".

AI from the Front Row

AI is multi-faceted. Some areas of AI are picking up quickly. Others are slower. While the more complex, integrated AI takes more time, some AI aspects that are gaining traction include:

• Virtual Agents – bots that are proactive, reactive and conversational
• AI enhanced tools for professionals – lawyers, doctors, marketing
• Knowledge management - making a broad set of information easier to graph
• Autonomous systems
• Combining computer vision and other tools to digitize a physical space

The practical AI Steve promotes requires a logical approach. For building a long-term asset, BI must come before AI. The questions he asks steer towards purposeful AI:

• Is your data in order to do something with?
• What do you actually want to build yourself versus use what others have?
• Where do you want to customize?
• Want to build a business out of it? Let's talk.

Is AI Right for You?

To help companies determine if AI is right for them, Steve has more questions for companies to ask:

• How do I want to use AI to run my company better?
• Should I build, buy, or partner?
• Where do I want to infuse AI?
• How do I differentiate my company with AI?
• What do you want to add value to?
• How do you want to add value for your customer?

If AI will not add value in the right areas, don't do it.

When AI Fails

Often, it's the bespoke AI project that fails. AI developed around data that is no longer tied to the core data can quickly lose its relevancy. Failure is common with the bespoke AI project done to impress senior leadership without regard for its actual value to the business.

Another fail is the grand vision that is impossible to implement given situation and resources. It could be a lack of expertise, financial backing, or executive patience.

Ethics and AI

Ethical AI is an important issue. To lay out their viewpoint and start the conversation, Microsoft issued The Future Computed. Steve advises that companies using AI have a framework for addressing ethics and AI.

If you would like to track what Steve is doing at Microsoft, visit the Microsoft AI webpage. You can also track him on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Thank you to Steve Guggenheimer for once again joining us on the show.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

Could you cut the price of your product by 25%? Take a look at your inputs. Big savings can mean the game changing advantage. This week's Five Minutes to New Ideas, features a company that took a gamble on less is more.

At times the leaps forward in technology are evident.  Then there are times when incremental steps slowly rise towards something momentous just yonder.  Bob O’Donnell is a top Silicon Valley analyst, USA Today columnist, and contributor to leading media outlets.  He returns to our show to give his take on this year’s CES.  As Bob O’Donnell surveys CES 2019, he sees tech on the cusp of innovation.

Old School

In a word, this year’s CES was packed.  From gadgets to automobiles to robotics and more, consumer electronics has morphed.  Although the range has grown, this year’s biggest strides came in CES old school mainstays.  Announcements from PC and TV makers rose above the buzz of the crowd. These were largely incremental, but nonetheless notable.  

Previews in past years gave way to the real deal.  LG’s rollable TV hits the market this year. Apple gained attention following a waning CES presence in recent years.  Partnering with the big TV players, Apple makes HomeKit, iTunes, and AirPlay 2 available on Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony TVs.  

Another big trend as Bob O’Donnell surveys CES 2019 is gaming.  In the gaming realm, Nvidia, Intel, and AMD took center stage with their respective innovations. On the cusp of innovation, glimpses of game streaming showed promise.  This cloud-based gaming will allow flexibility and opportunity. It’s an advantage for the hard-core gamer and novice alike. Gamers will be able to pick up or continue gaming on a range of devices.  

See the Difference?

The 8K push was evident at CES.  Vendors are offering 8K in varying forms.  Is there a noticeable difference between 4K and 8K?  The jury’s out with consumers split 50/50. Some companies have made their 8K products discrete.  Sony’s 8K TVs are much larger than the 4K. But with zero content available at the moment, Bob wonders if 8K deserves the notice?  It’s on the cusp of innovation. In my view, change is right around the corner. Japan is readying for the 2020 Olympics, which will be broadcast in 8K.  CableLabs member J:COM is on track for the Olympics 8K roll out. The big question remains: will that 8K TV fit in the living room?

Self-Drive Slowdown

The forecasts of two years ago overshot autonomous vehicle progress.  The pullback comes as issues have arisen.  The technology is not ready.  Public perception is not ready.  Real issues of safety are coupled with consumer fear and lack of trust.  Even terms can be a problem. Bob views the term ‘autopilot’ in cars misleading.  For now, the focus has shifted to assisted driving versus autonomous. Even in that area, auto assist functions become disengaged 60 – 80 percent of the time.  There’s some distance to go before autonomous becomes viable. Makers need time to get it right.  

 

Not Competing, Complementing

This year 5G is everywhere.  Overhype is an issue.  Bob is wary of some claims.  There is confusion over what 5G really is.  As Bob points out, looking back at how 4G enabled Uber and other services, people now are more aware.  Hence, the hype.

With the introduction of the cable industry 10G, some clarity is needed.  The G in

At times the leaps forward in technology are evident. Then there are times when incremental steps slowly rise towards something momentous just yonder. Bob O'Donnell is a top Silicon Valley analyst, USA Today columnist, and contributor to leading media outlets. He returns to our show to give his take on this year's CES. As Bob O'Donnell surveys CES 2019, he sees tech on the cusp of innovation.

Old School

In a word, this year's CES was packed. From gadgets to automobiles to robotics and more, consumer electronics has morphed. Although the range has grown, this year's biggest strides came in CES old school mainstays. Announcements from PC and TV makers rose above the buzz of the crowd. These were largely incremental, but nonetheless notable.

Previews in past years gave way to the real deal. LG's rollable TV hits the market this year. Apple gained attention following a waning CES presence in recent years. Partnering with the big TV players, Apple makes HomeKit, iTunes, and AirPlay 2 available on Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony TVs.

Another big trend as Bob O'Donnell surveys CES 2019 is gaming. In the gaming realm, Nvidia, Intel, and AMD took center stage with their respective innovations. On the cusp of innovation, glimpses of game streaming showed promise. This cloud-based gaming will allow flexibility and opportunity. It's an advantage for the hard-core gamer and novice alike. Gamers will be able to pick up or continue gaming on a range of devices.

See the Difference?

The 8K push was evident at CES. Vendors are offering 8K in varying forms. Is there a noticeable difference between 4K and 8K? The jury's out with consumers split 50/50. Some companies have made their 8K products discrete. Sony's 8K TVs are much larger than the 4K. But with zero content available at the moment, Bob wonders if 8K deserves the notice? It's on the cusp of innovation. In my view, change is right around the corner. Japan is readying for the 2020 Olympics, which will be broadcast in 8K. CableLabs member J:COM is on track for the Olympics 8K roll out. The big question remains: will that 8K TV fit in the living room?

Self-Drive Slowdown

The forecasts of two years ago overshot autonomous vehicle progress. The pullback comes as issues have arisen. The technology is not ready. Public perception is not ready. Real issues of safety are coupled with consumer fear and lack of trust. Even terms can be a problem. Bob views the term 'autopilot' in cars misleading. For now, the focus has shifted to assisted driving versus autonomous. Even in that area, auto assist functions become disengaged 60 – 80 percent of the time. There's some distance to go before autonomous becomes viable. Makers need time to get it right.

Not Competing, Complementing

This year 5G is everywhere. Overhype is an issue. Bob is wary of some claims. There is confusion over what 5G really is. As Bob points out, looking back at how 4G enabled Uber and other services, people now are more aware. Hence, the hype.

With the introduction of the cable industry 10G, some clarity is needed. The G in 10G actually means gigabit. It is not in competition with the 5G (fifth generation) cellular network tech. 10G will actually complement 5G in the future. For now, 10G program is live and rolling out. In 80% of U.S. homes, 1 gigabit broadband internet will be available to 80% of U.S. homes. It's a platform to build innovations on.

Oversellers Beware

The hints at what's down the road may be exciting, but at the same time misleading. There's risk when companies promise more from products than products deliver or will deliver in the near future. Overselling risks losing consumers' trust and taxing patience. Exaggerating taints the industry and consumer perception. Much of what we've seen at CES 2019 is incremental. But it's better to make good on solid claims than take grand leaps and fall flat.

Thanks to Bob O'Donnell for sharing his insights.

If you would like to track what Bob is writing about or working on, visit http://www.technalysisresearch.com/. You may also view his column on USA Today or see him on Bloomberg TV.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

Are some customers not good for business? Could a customer's extensive use of your product or service actually cost you? Listen to Five Minutes to New Ideas to hear creative solutions to customer challenges.

Cars that walk.  TVs that roll up.  From rising stars to tech titans, the atmosphere at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 has been high energy.  To consider what’s fueling that energy, I talk to the host of CES, Consumer Technology Association (CTA).  Joining us in the Mobile Studio is Rachel Horn, CTA Communications Director. She shares the CES 2019 tech trends, a few of her favorites, and why CES is so amazing.

CES Breaking Records

With 180 million plus attendees and 155 countries represented, CES is the largest tech and business event in the world.  It covers 2.9 million square feet of exhibitor space in Las Vegas. CES 2019 is breaking records. More than just bigger, this year’s CES unlocks new opportunities.  For the first time, medical professionals obtained continuing medical education credit for attending CES. This allows medical professionals to observe and learn about the latest medical tech and tech trends first hand.  Eureka Park, with reasonable exhibit rates, makes CES accessible for startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.  It boasts 1,200 exhibitors. From simple products that make life easier to larger than life exhibits that give an awe-inspiring glimpse into the future, CES 2019 delivers something for everyone.

Big Impressions

Looking outside the window of the Mobile Studio is the two-story Google complex.  It’s akin to an amusement park ride and with people queued up to get in. The rollercoaster ride takes people through the Google story.  The stakes are high for attention-grabbing at CES.  The Bell Nexus Air Taxi display was phenomenal.  During a private tour, this look at future transport awed a group of CEOs and me.  As TV display tech leaps further ahead each year, the display manufacturers dominate the floor.  The LG 4K rollable TV was exciting to see. With all the spectacle, it’s a stiff competition to stand out.  CES raises the bar. But not everything has to be big to shine. Some of the more interesting trends were seen on a smaller scale at Eureka Park.

CES 2019 Tech Trends

AI and 5G were the pervasive tech trends.  Across the board, products are sensory, connected, collecting data, analyzing, and customizing the consumer experience.  From health to lifestyle, AI is making things simpler, personalized, safer. Among noteworthy trends was digital health, especially wearables.  Silicon Valley Tech Analyst Tim Bajarin was on the trail of digital health devices.  He was impressed with a watch that can take blood pressure readings.  There are devices to continuously measure blood glucose and manage pain without medication.  These tech advances can truly transform our lives, giving people greater control over their health and wellness.  A number of products addressed aging in place. Some tech products on display included smart beds, fall detection products, remote monitors.  These impactful innovations have taken a front row. The competition among companies in the area of medical devices has propelled some further ahead.  Such is the case with Starkey, the hearing aid company, which incorporates AI into its latest product.

Little Things That Make a Difference

While the big technologies draw the crowds, the little things that make life easier are equally impressive.  Rachel noticed the Neutrogena MaskID, which uses mobile phone tech to analyze skin and create a customized face mask. Another innovation on Rachel’s must-have list is the Ring Mouse (EasySMX Ring Mouse by Padrone).

Cars that walk. TVs that roll up. From rising stars to tech titans, the atmosphere at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 has been high energy. To consider what's fueling that energy, I talk to the host of CES, Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Joining us in the Mobile Studio is Rachel Horn, CTA Communications Director. She shares the CES 2019 tech trends, a few of her favorites, and why CES is so amazing.

CES Breaking Records

With 180 million plus attendees and 155 countries represented, CES is the largest tech and business event in the world. It covers 2.9 million square feet of exhibitor space in Las Vegas. CES 2019 is breaking records. More than just bigger, this year's CES unlocks new opportunities. For the first time, medical professionals obtained continuing medical education credit for attending CES. This allows medical professionals to observe and learn about the latest medical tech and tech trends first hand. Eureka Park, with reasonable exhibit rates, makes CES accessible for startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. It boasts 1,200 exhibitors. From simple products that make life easier to larger than life exhibits that give an awe-inspiring glimpse into the future, CES 2019 delivers something for everyone.

Big Impressions

Looking outside the window of the Mobile Studio is the two-story Google complex. It's akin to an amusement park ride and with people queued up to get in. The rollercoaster ride takes people through the Google story. The stakes are high for attention-grabbing at CES. The Bell Nexus Air Taxi display was phenomenal. During a private tour, this look at future transport awed a group of CEOs and me. As TV display tech leaps further ahead each year, the display manufacturers dominate the floor. The LG 4K rollable TV was exciting to see. With all the spectacle, it's a stiff competition to stand out. CES raises the bar. But not everything has to be big to shine. Some of the more interesting trends were seen on a smaller scale at Eureka Park.

CES 2019 Tech Trends

AI and 5G were the pervasive tech trends. Across the board, products are sensory, connected, collecting data, analyzing, and customizing the consumer experience. From health to lifestyle, AI is making things simpler, personalized, safer. Among noteworthy trends was digital health, especially wearables. Silicon Valley Tech Analyst Tim Bajarin was on the trail of digital health devices. He was impressed with a watch that can take blood pressure readings. There are devices to continuously measure blood glucose and manage pain without medication. These tech advances can truly transform our lives, giving people greater control over their health and wellness. A number of products addressed aging in place. Some tech products on display included smart beds, fall detection products, remote monitors. These impactful innovations have taken a front row. The competition among companies in the area of medical devices has propelled some further ahead. Such is the case with Starkey, the hearing aid company, which incorporates AI into its latest product.

Little Things That Make a Difference

While the big technologies draw the crowds, the little things that make life easier are equally impressive. Rachel noticed the Neutrogena MaskID, which uses mobile phone tech to analyze skin and create a customized face mask. Another innovation on Rachel's must-have list is the Ring Mouse (EasySMX Ring Mouse by Padrone). The Ring Mouse fits on the fingertip, is Bluetooth enabled, and pairs with a phone or laptop. Tactigon Skin is an interesting one hand controller device that has a number of uses. Technologies such as these that simplify life and make us more productive will transform the way we do things.

Taking Care of Business

Many international businesses consider CES the launch platform. It's also the place to meet with investors, retailers, partners. The average CES attendee schedules 33 meetings.

Not only does the CTA host CES, but it holds a number of events throughout the year. If you'd like to know more about CTA, visit https://www.cta.tech/.

If you weren't able to visit CES this year, catch keynote videos, panel videos, and other highlights at https://www.ces.tech/. You can also keep up to date on the latest with CES on Twitter or Instagram.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

Do you really know who your customers are and how they use your product? As HP CTO, I was taken by surprise when the local bakery tailored the HP TouchSmart for use as an order kiosk. Are there more uses for your product than you imagined? How can your customer help you discover the potential? Five Minutes to New Ideas explores customers' creative hacks and what that means for you.

Keeping networks connected, secure, and visible is easier thanks to one startup. Here at the Consumer Electronics Show, David Erickson joins me. David is Co-Founder of Forward Networks. His company is innovating network operations. Their products transform how businesses manage networks.

Gaming to Innovating Network Operations

David's interest in networking began as a kid playing video games. He was always trying to optimize that connection. That interest led him to Silicon Valley and Stanford. As a post-grad at Stanford, David focused on software defined networking (SDN). After completing Ph.D. work, David and three fellow Ph. Ds founded Forward Networks. They saw new opportunity. Innovation on the operations side of networking was scarce. Co-founder Peyman Kazemian developed unique technology. Forward Networks applies that technology to network operations. Their software maximizes network connection, security and analysis. Based in Palo Alto, Forward Networks has been developing network solutions for five years. Their clients include a growing number of mid to large size businesses.

Grains of Sand

With the volumes of data traversing networks, innovating network operations has been a challenge. Others have tried to develop similar technology without success. One company refused to believe Forward Networks' product could do what they claimed. That company had been trying for 15 years. Forward Networks solutions do the work no human can do. Tracking network traffic flow going in five octillion directions, it's impossible for people to see it all. Like grains of sand or known stars in the universe, a massive volume of data requires a smart solution. Forward Networks technology explores and proves network properties to ensure they're secure and connected.

Solving Core Problems and Beyond

The advantages Forward Networks solutions offer customers:

• Opens layers of visibility
• Creates a digital twin of the network
• Verification: proves correctness of connections and security

They have focused on user interface making ease of use a priority. Their products require minimal upkeep and maintenance.

A new area Forward Networks is moving into is cloud systems. This latest development will give a "holistic picture" of "hybrid environments." At the heart of it, David says their software solves the core problems.

Lessons Learned

The founders of Forward Networks had a trial run in the startup process. Out of Stanford, they started a company that created SDN training. That was "the startup before the startup." It gave them the experience to understand the process.

Key things David learned along the way:

• Talk to customers
• Know what the competition is doing
• Be patient if innovating in a technical space

Innovating network operations, Forward Networks meets a demand in an overlooked area that's ever-expanding.

To track what Forward Networks is doing, visit https://www.forwardnetworks.com/. For the latest, check out their blog (upper right of website) and Twitter.

Five Minutes to New Ideas

Can old assets equal new value? It can take a fight for survival to bring out bold moves. Such is the case with magazine publishers. The internet has forced magazines innovate. Five Minutes to New Ideas explores what some magazines are doing to keep ahead. Could your business borrow from these unique approaches?

Thanks for listening to the show today. On March 5, we'll kick off Season 15 of Killer Innovations. Long time listeners, do you have an anecdote or story to share about the show? Any thoughts on going forward in Season 15? I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a note.