CES 2025, held during the first week of January in Las Vegas, showcased emerging smart home technology trends that promise to reshape how consumers interact with their living spaces. The annual trade show attracted 148,000 attendees and 4,100 exhibitors, according to event organizers, making it one of the largest consumer technology expositions in the world. Industry experts who navigated the crowded show floor identified six key smart home technology trends that stood out among the thousands of product demonstrations and announcements.
Technology consultant Ryan Herd, former CEO of Caregiver Smart Solutions, highlighted safety innovations as a major focus at this year’s event. Products addressing kitchen fire prevention and fall detection for older adults drew particular attention from experts tracking home safety solutions.
Cooktop Safety and Fall Detection Gain Attention
Herd pointed to cooktop safety solutions like iGuard and CTS Smart Kitchen Sensor from Cooktop Safety Corp as addressing overlooked home risks. These devices sense unsafe cooking conditions and work to prevent accidents before they escalate into disasters. The technology represents a growing category of preventive safety devices in smart home technology.
Additionally, fall detection systems using radar technology instead of cameras emerged as privacy-respecting alternatives for monitoring older adults. According to the CDC, approximately 3 million emergency room visits annually involve falls by older individuals, making these falls the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Silver Shield by Pontosense received recognition for its non-intrusive approach that delivers monitoring insights while maintaining privacy, Herd noted.
Domestic Robots Approach Consumer Reality
Robots dominated the CES show floor, though experts acknowledge these devices haven’t quite reached mainstream home adoption. However, the technology is advancing rapidly toward practical applications like laundry folding and daily living support. Builder and designer Chip Wade observed that the industry is entering what he called a “Jetsons-like era” of home automation.
The privacy implications of household robots remain a concern that Herd believes deserves more discussion. Most robotic systems require cameras to function effectively, since LiDAR remains expensive and radar has technical limitations. This reality means consumers who resist stationary home cameras may need to accept roaming cameras moving through their private spaces.
Cognitive AI Processes Data Locally
Wade identified cognitive AI as a significant smart home technology trend, defining it as on-board decision-making that doesn’t require uploading data to cloud servers. This technology appeared integrated across multiple product categories at CES, from robotic lawn mowers to kitchen appliances and wellness devices. The local processing approach addresses both privacy concerns and response time issues that plague cloud-dependent systems.
Kitchen Appliances Deliver Long-Promised Features
Samsung unveiled refrigerators that automatically inventory stored foods and suggest customized recipes based on available ingredients, according to Wade. This functionality represents progress toward a capability manufacturers have pursued for years. Meanwhile, robotic vacuum and mopping systems demonstrated new abilities including stair-climbing and arms capable of picking up larger objects that previously blocked their paths.
These smarter appliances integrate cognitive AI to make autonomous decisions about household tasks. The appliances represent practical applications of artificial intelligence that deliver tangible benefits to daily home management.
Television Technology Emphasizes Size and Practicality
Manufacturers showcased increasingly large televisions featuring modular micro-LED panels that simplify transportation and installation. The panels weigh less than traditional large-screen technologies, reducing shipping costs while maintaining visual quality. However, Herd suggested the improvements are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, since display quality across the industry has reached uniformly high standards.
Wellness Products Earn Innovation Recognition
Multiple wellness-focused products received CES Smart Home Innovation Awards, reflecting growing consumer interest in health-supporting technology. Ceragem’s AI Rejuvenation Shower System uses near-infrared and spectral sensors to scan facial skin and adjust water chemistry accordingly. The smart mirror analyzes hydration, oil levels, elasticity and pigmentation to customize skincare ingredient delivery through NFC-tagged cartridges.
Other wellness honorees included Netvue Technologies’ Birdfy Hum Bloom smart bird feeder, which enhances nature encounters that reduce stress. DeepScent received recognition for creating personalized scent experiences using artificial intelligence that adapts to user preferences and integrates with smart lighting and audio systems. Coway’s Humid Curator addresses home humidity management, which impacts both structural elements and occupant comfort.
The wellness category reflects expectations among homeowners, particularly in luxury properties, for health-supporting smart home features. Industry manufacturers are responding with innovative solutions that address multiple aspects of residential wellness.
The practical adoption timeline for many technologies showcased at CES 2025 remains uncertain, as manufacturers work to translate exhibition prototypes into commercially viable products that deliver meaningful benefits to everyday users.
