[CES 2018] Sony presents new products, robot, car image sensors

Sony is set to present its lineup of new products for 2018 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, as well as initiatives that use new technology, such as the entertainment robot aibo and automotive image sensors designed for self-driving cars, the company said.

On display will be the new 4K organic light-emitting diode Bravia A8F series, which features the 4K HDR image processor X1 Extreme and brings a new design to the Bravia lineup. 

The prototype of the next-generation picture processor X1 Ultimate, which has twice the real-time processing power of the X1 Extreme, will also be on display.

In the headset category, Sony is introducing the WF-SP700N, which has “the world’s first noise-canceling and splash-proof functionality among truly wireless headphones,” according to the company. The headphones’ IPX4 waterproof protection level allows users to enjoy full functionality without worrying about sweat or rain.

At CES, Sony will also showcase two new super mid-range smartphones that will be released globally starting later this month: the Xperia XA2 and Xperia XA2 Ultra. 

Running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform, both phones have a FHD display and a main camera that can take 4K videos. The Ultra comes with an extra “dual selfie camera,” made up of a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization and an 8-megapixel super wide-angle selfie camera.

For the home, Sony will add the LSPX-A1 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector, coming to the US market in spring 2018, to its Life Space UX line. The projector allows 4K projections when placed near a wall, with audio produced through an Advanced Vertical Drive Technology-compatible tweeter and enhanced with subwoofers.

The company will also be showcasing aibo, the artificial intelligence robotic dog that it announced last November, for the first time outside of Japan at CES. Powered with Sony’s deep learning technology, aibo changes and adapts in response to its environment. Eventually, the robot is able to develop a unique personality based on interactions with its owners.

Sony will also display the concept for its automotive image sensors, which offer 360-degree sensing that is quicker and more precise than the human eye. At the Sony CES booth, visitors will be able to experience how Sony hopes its sensor technology will affect automated driving, according to the company. 

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)