The weirdest gadgets we saw at Consumer Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS — For every big-screen TV and revolutionary AI model that emerged from CES this year, there was a company trying to find a market for something that was just plain strange — at best. Part of the joy of walking the increasingly large floor of the Consumer Electronics Show is coming across gadgets that make you stop, look and ask “what??”

Some are prototypes, designed specifically for this reason. Some are the dreams of an entrepreneur looking for a new market. They are both glorious and confusing. Here’s a look at half a dozen that raised our eyebrows this year.

The hairdryer that is also a lamp

The Dreame Giant Hair Dryer is a C-shaped hair dryer that is about the height of a lamp post. The company says it not only dries hair, but it’s also designed to care for your follicles, with red light to revitalize the scalp and a protective mist. But when you’re well-groomed, it can also serve as a floor lamp and mood light. Dreame says it will be released this summer. Oh, and it will cost $700. Who is the target audience? No idea! Does it dry hair properly? I couldn’t tell you! (He wasn’t plugged in during the show.) Does this matter to us? No way. This is the kind of absurdity that makes CES interesting.

AI hair clippers

AI was everywhere at CES, which means it shouldn’t have been present in many places. Glyde’s smart hair clipper wasn’t the worst offender, but it certainly raised questions. It is equipped with an AI haircut coach as well as automatic cutting, allowing you to be your own barber. (Sure, you can be your own barber with a Flowbee, but that doesn’t make it a good idea.) Glyde users will also have to wear an incredibly silly face headband, so the clippers know where they are on your head.

The robot that tracks your pet

Curious to know if your dog jumps on the couch when you’re not home or if your cat plans to take over the world? The Vex is a small robot that will follow your pet throughout the day, capturing videos and trying to play with them. It will even edit the videos together for you – using AI, of course. The Vex is still in development, however, so it doesn’t have a price or release date.

A vibrant chef’s knife for $400

Chef’s knives are a valuable tool in the kitchen. And the C-200 Ultrasonic Chef’s Knife from Seattle Ultrasonics hopes that you will find that its value is at least $400. The knife sends ultrasonic vibrations into the blade, intended to make cutting easier. And certainly, this seems to make it easier to break things down into elements. It might help people with arthritis, but $400 for a knife that you not only have to keep sharp, but also plug in (oh…you want a wireless charging station? That’s $149 more) is a lot to ask.

A lollipop that plays music

Bone conduction is a unique technology that some headphone manufacturers have been leveraging for a while. By transmitting sound as vibrations through your cheekbones and jaw to your inner ear, bypassing the eardrum, you can enjoy your music while hearing the environment around you. The makers of Lollipop Star mixed this with candy. You can enjoy a sucker while listening to one of about half a dozen songs (by Ice Spice, Armani White, or other artists—you won’t find the Taylor Swift songs). Each sucker costs $10.

An AI “soul mate”

Lepro, based in China, had perhaps the strangest and most terrifying item at the show. The company happily showed off a desktop OLED display that houses an AI “soulmate” for people. Lepro says the companion is empathetic and connects on a deep level with users. Almost everyone just called it really scary.