CES kicks off in Las Vegas, Taiwan grabs attention with sports tech

CES在拉斯維加斯開展，台灣運動科技引人注目

Taiwan showcases sports tech, AI, robotics, and more, along with 1,500 exhibitors from over 158 regions


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The annual tech event CES went live on January 5th, marking the biggest commercial exhibition in Taiwan since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), organizer of the event, expected 100,000 in-person attendees this year as international travel picks up pace.

1,500 exhibitors from over 158 regions are featured in the four-day event. 148 exhibitors from Taiwan showcase the newest AI technology, ICT, sports and fitness tech, robotics, and more.

Taiwan industry leaders, including Acer, Asus, Gigabyte, HTC, and MSI, flexed innovation power at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The cohort of 96 startups led by the National Science and Technology Council was a force to be reckoned with. This year, 10 of these startups won the CES 2023 Innovation Award.

Eyeing the demand for exercising while working, Acer introduced the eKinekt Bike Desk, a smart fitness equipment that uses pedaling energy to charge devices. One hour of constant cycling at 60 RPM can generate 75 Watts of power, which is suitable for charging laptops or mobile phones.

Acer markets its newest product as “saves money on fitness equipment, impress your co-workers, and get in shape while going green”.

Sports tech stood out in the crowd this year as the world experiences a change in exercise habits with virtual sports development in the metaverse and the lifting of COVID restrictions.

Building on its strong sporting goods industry, coupled with a solid foundation of ICT and digital power, Taiwan government-funded ITRI introduced a sports-and-fitness innovation booth for the first time.

At the ITRI booth this year, visitors can try out multiple fitness technologies, including the wearable health monitor device iSportWeaR and smart clothing iMetaWeaR made for virtual sports in the metaverse, such as boxing and fencing, an armband for real-time detection of fatigue and injury, and a virtual coach for indoor biking and flywheel training.

Taiwan is a world-class player in manufacturing sporting goods. Bicycles, badminton rackets, and fitness equipment manufactured by Taiwan-based companies have secured a large market share.