Startups at CES 2026 are broadening the scope of wearable technology, shifting focus beyond fitness and health tracking toward workplace productivity and personal media applications, as early-stage companies look to stand out in a crowded hardware market.
The annual trade show, organized by the Consumer Technology Association, features more than 4,100 exhibitors across sectors including AI, digital health, energy, enterprise technology, immersive entertainment, mobility, quantum computing, and robotics. CES 2026 runs from January 6 to January 9 across 13 venues in Las Vegas, including the recently renovated Las Vegas Convention Center.
Eureka Park, the area dedicated to early-stage companies, remains a focal point for emerging hardware concepts. DIGITIMES observations from the show floor indicate that while smart home products continue to draw significant exhibitor presence, wearable devices are gaining visibility as startups add new functions to established form factors in an effort to differentiate.
Startups target new applications
Smart rings are typically positioned for health or fitness monitoring, but Singapore-based Vocci is targeting professional settings with an AI-enabled ring designed for meeting use. The device is not always listening. Recording begins only when users press a button on the side of the ring, after which the system generates a transcript once a meeting ends.
South Korean startup Geeks Loft introduced a hands-free headset called Perisphere that integrates multiple smart devices into a single head-worn system. The product combines a foldable Full HD display, dual stereo cameras, and stereo microphones. The display supports both 2D and 3D video playback and is mounted on a headband to distribute weight, with the total device weighing about 420 grams to support extended wear.
South Korean startup Geeks Loft introduced its hands-free headset, Perisphere. Credit: Annabelle Shu
CTA on CES role
The four-day event follows two days of media previews focused on product launches, partnership announcements, and demonstrations. Gary Shapiro, chairman and chief executive of the CTA, said CES brings innovators together to accelerate commercial progress and collaboration, adding that technology can help address real-world challenges.
CTA President Kinsey Fabrizio said the event brings together the full technology ecosystem, from global brands to emerging startups, and provides a setting to observe how new technologies move from concept toward practical application.
Perisphere features a vertically adjustable high-resolution display that supports both 2D and 3D video playback. Credit: Annabelle Shu
Article edited by Charlene Chen
