Where to Start at CES? Try the Innovation Award Winners
Cosmo Robotics’ Bambini exoskeleton system
Deciding how to approach the show floors at CES is more than a little intimidating. With more than 4,500 companies showing off their wares across the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Venetian, it’s impossible to see it all.
If you can’t make a guided tour like those offered by WPP Media (and others), using the CES Innovation Awards honorees as a cheat sheet is one way to see the most impactful tech on display.
The Innovation Awards honor “excellence in design and engineering across a wide range of product categories including smart home devices, wearables, robotics, automotive tech and more.” There were more than 3,600 applications for the 2026 awards.
According to CTA, the awards program spans 36 product categories. New this year are: EdTech; Enterprise Tech; Filmmaking & Distribution (in partnership with Cannes Next); Supply & Logistics; and Travel & Tourism. The categories of AI, Digital Health, and Sustainability & Energy received the most submissions.
You can check out all of the 2026 Innovation Awards Honorees here.
Some of the highlights:
Audio & Video
LG SIGNATURE OLED T delivers a groundbreaking visual experience through its transparent OLED display and wireless box solution.
Perisphere: Audio Meets Vision is the first headphone to integrate high-fidelity audio, a swing-down Full HD display, dual stereoscopic camera and stereo microphones into one familiar form.
The Timekettle W4 AI Interpreter Earbuds redefine global communication as the world’s first in-ear translation device to combine Bone-Voiceprint Sensor Capture with LLM-powered, context-aware AI.
EdTech
Toniebox 2 is a kid-friendly, screen-free — and ad-free — audio player designed for children ages 1–9+. It encourages independence and confidence through interactive storytelling, music and games.
Travel & Tourism
LBS Tech’s MaaS-Bridge: Accessible MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Services) Connectivity is an AI-powered system that enhances Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) by creating safe, accessible connection points between vehicles and pedestrian paths. It supports inclusive transportation for users with diverse needs — such as seniors, wheelchair users and visually impaired individuals — by analyzing traffic, infrastructure and user profiles to recommend optimal Mobility Points.
The Oshkosh Striker Volterra Electric ARFF Vehicle is a hybrid electric-diesel Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle (ARFF) designed to meet growing airport safety demands. It offers zero-emissions operation in terminals and 28% faster acceleration to emergencies than traditional diesel models.
Pet tech
Blaze Equine Wellness System is Garmin’s new equine wellness system that uses the power-efficient equine optical heart rate sensor to track a horse’s heart rate, strides, gait, distance and other real-time data.
peanutcat - egg-1 is a smart feeder for cats developed to resolve common feeding issues in multi-cat households. Using RFID technology, it provides tailored meals based on each cat’s health, age and appetite to prevent overfeeding, underfeeding and food stealing.
Accessibility and Digital Health
NaviCane is an AI-powered smart mobility aid that delivers precise environmental analysis by sensing terrain height, surface texture and hidden hazards.
Naqi Neural Earbuds with Invisible User Interface are redefining human-machine interaction by providing a safe, non-invasive alternative to brain implants, allowing users to control digital devices through subtle, nearly invisible facial gestures.
Earflo is the first non-invasive medical device that treats negative middle ear pressure which causes ear infections in children as young as two, providing a groundbreaking alternative to ear tubes.
Cosmo Robotics’ Bambini Kids and Teens are the first overground walking exoskeletons with powered ankle motion. Between the two exoskeletons, children ages 2.5-12 with congenital or acquired neurological disorders can relearn walking skills or restore mobility after injury through guided, natural movement.
Smart home
Sonic Fire Tech - Home Wildfire Defense System is a cutting-edge home wildfire defense company offering a patented, sonic fire suppression system designed to protect homes from ember ignition.
HEYMIRROR Smart Dressing Mirror is an AI-powered smart dressing mirror that integrates real-time data such as the weather, calendar and style preferences to deliver personalized outfit recommendations, while simultaneously sterilizing and dehumidifying stored clothing.
Home Therapy Booth 2.0 with AI Mental Coach is a private, one-person wellness booth for the home that senses and responds to provide at-home wellness. Using multimodal computer vision and sensing, an edge NPU and an AI Mental Coach, the Home Therapy Booth brings intelligent and personalized care to daily life.
See all of the 2026 Innovation Awards Honorees here.