CES 2026

Wearable technology dominates CES 2026 and focuses on performance

Wearable technology geared towards sports was one of the highlights of CES 2026, the world's largest electronics trade show. The event reinforced a clear trend in the market: the increasingly sophisticated use of devices to monitor performance, health, and training data in sports such as running, cycling, and triathlon.

According to the Endurance.biz portal, Garmin won five innovation awards at CES 2026, with special recognition for advancements in displays and solutions geared towards multisport.

The awards indicate how wearable technology is consolidating itself as a central tool for amateur and professional athletes seeking precision, personalization, and real-time tracking.

The award-winning devices stand out for their improved screen quality, greater readability in different lighting conditions, and integration of advanced metrics. These features expand the ability to analyze data such as pace, heart rate, recovery, training load, and performance over time—elements increasingly valued by those who practice endurance sports.

Technology and Performance...Beyond the technical aspect, the recognition at CES 2026 signals a change in the behavior of practitioners. The use of smartwatches and sensors is no longer exclusive to the sporting elite and has become part of the routine of runners and recreational athletes, who use the data to adjust training, prevent injuries and improve consistency.

Another relevant point is the expansion of the multisport concept. The award-winning innovations show that the focus is not only on a specific modality, but on the integration of different physical activities in a single monitoring ecosystem, allowing a broader view of health and performance.

The emphasis given to wearable technology at CES 2026 reinforces that the future of sport increasingly involves the combination of training, data and technology. For those who run, cycle or practice endurance sports, smart devices cease to be accessories and assume a strategic role in the evolution of performance.

At CES 2026, wearable technology will focus on preventative health, advanced monitoring, and body integration, moving beyond fitness to continuous diagnostics with more precise sensors, smart fabrics, and health patches, with trends such as medical wearables, industrial wearables, and hearables, and brands like Garmin standing out with multisport innovation. The emphasis is on data interpretation for actionable insights, in addition to data collection, with advancements in battery technology (Grepow) and flexible form factors.

CES 2026 key trends:

-Predictive Health: Devices that detect stress, fatigue, and signs of illness before symptoms appear, with sensors for continuous ECG and glucose monitoring.

-Medical Wearables: Focus on light therapy patches (CareWear), health monitors with clinical patterns, and e-tattoos for health tracking.

-Industrial Wearables: Monitoring fatigue, heat, and environmental hazards for workers.

-Smart Textiles: Clothing and fabrics with embedded sensors for athletic performance and rehabilitation.

-Focus on Data and AI: In addition to collecting data, wearables provide deeper insights with AI, transforming physiological data into actionable information.

-Design Innovation: Customized battery solutions (Grepow) for more comfortable and integrated design.

mundophone

CES 2026

In search of the perfect color...Samsung pushes the boundaries of TV in the first look

Fifty years ago, in 1975, Samsung Electronics launched the Econo TV. Since then, the company has maintained its quest to find and offer the perfect color, evolving its solutions for color, LCD, LED, and QLED TVs. Throughout this journey, Samsung has become a world leader in TVs—a position it has held for 19 consecutive years.

"Quest for Perfect Color" is Samsung's long-standing philosophy and a marketing tagline highlighting its continuous effort to achieve the most realistic and accurate color reproduction in its display technology, spanning from early color TVs to its current advanced Micro RGB and QLED lineups. 

This "quest" is a recurring theme in Samsung's product development and marketing, emphasizing the use of innovative technologies to push the boundaries of color expression: 

QLED Technology: A core component of Samsung's color strategy is the use of inorganic quantum dots, which are nanoscale semiconductor materials that produce precise and vibrant colored light when illuminated. This allows QLED TVs to achieve 100% color volume in the DCI-P3 color gamut, resulting in a wide range of colors at varying brightness levels without the risk of burn-in.

Neo QLED with Mini LED: An advancement in QLED technology that utilizes thousands of tiny Mini-LEDs as a backlight. This allows for more precise control over brightness and contrast, minimizing blooming (where bright areas bleed into dark areas) and enhancing color accuracy further.

Micro RGB (latest development): The newest evolution in this quest, announced ahead of CES 2026. This technology uses sub-100μm (micrometer) red, green, and blue LEDs that each emit light independently, enabling ultra-precise light control and improved color accuracy. Samsung claims these Micro RGB TVs achieve 100% coverage of the professional BT.2020 color gamut, setting a new standard for realism.

AI Processing: Modern Samsung TVs use advanced AI chipsets (like the Micro RGB AI Engine Pro) to intelligently enhance color, clarity, and realism in real time, adapting the picture based on the content and ambient lighting conditions.

Anti-Glare Technology: Proprietary screen coatings are used to minimize reflections, helping preserve color and contrast integrity even in brightly lit rooms. 

Essentially, the "Quest for Perfect Color" is the narrative Samsung uses to link its legacy of TV innovation with its cutting-edge display technologies, promising consumers an ever-more lifelike and immersive viewing experience. 

by mundophone

 

TECH

Hideo Kojima plans game that caters to AI, says artificial intelligence will reshape gaming in 5–10 years

Hideo Kojima, famed creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, outlined bold new concepts, including a game designed for weightlessness and another built to train and “delight” artificial intelligence. In an interview, he predicted AI will transform game development within five to ten years, arguing it should be embraced as a practical tool, much like smartphones once were, rather than feared.

The creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima, has always been renowned as a forward-thinking individual, thinking way ahead about games. True to his persona, he has shared some wildly ambitious ideas for the future of gaming. He has an idea for a game to be played in weightlessness and another to teach AI.

This news comes from Kojima’s conversation with Nikkei Xtrend. Speaking with the Japanese outlet, Kojima pondered the different projects he’d like to delve into after working on the Xbox-exclusive horror game OD and the PlayStation-exclusive action-espionage title Physint.

Kojima admitted that these concepts seemed over-the-top from the get-go. In the interview, he said, “This might be out there, but I think I want to make a game played in weightlessness and a game that delights an AI.”

Kojima didn’t go into the technicalities of the weightless idea, leaving many to wonder what kind of floating gameplay he was exactly referring to. He did, however, open up more about the AI-focused title and said:

Basically, a game that could train an AI. At the moment, AI doesn’t know much, and I think it has to study more. It would be a game that is a teaching material for AI to study. In five or 10 years’ time. I definitely expect AI to break into many different worlds.

It’s pretty clear by this point that Kojima’s views on AI are pretty nuanced, as he’s talked about it many times this year. He sees it as a tool that can help with practical workflows in development, such as adapting to different players' playstyles or handling monotonous tasks, leaving humans to focus on the creative aspect of game development.

Kojima further discussed the pushback against AI and compared it to how people reacted to smartphones when they first became mainstream. He said:

When smartphones came out, everyone slated them. But now, there are so many people who can’t live without their smartphones. AI is like that. It’s important to use technology in a way that will make us happy, while considering the correct direction it should take.

With projects like OD in development and Physint still in the conceptual stage, Kojima continues to dream big, reminding us why he’s one of the most influential minds in the video game industry.

by Rahim Amir Noorali

DIGITAL LIFE

Ferry crew member faces charges in malware incident that shakes maritime cybersecurity

French authorities have launched a high-stakes investigation into possible foreign interference following the discovery of sophisticated malware aboard the Italian passenger ferry the Fantastic, which could have allowed remote users to take control of the ship systems and controls.

When the ship was docked recently in the port of Sète, Italian and French authorities plus maritime security services became aware of a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) embedded within the ship's electronic systems. The discovery led to the immediate arrest of a Latvian and a Bulgarian (who has since been released) crew members who had recently joined the vessel.

While the Latvian detainee initially appeared to be a standard maritime employee, investigators now believe he acted as a technical proxy for a foreign power. The Paris prosecutor’s office, which handles cases of national security and cybercrime, has formally opened a probe into potential attacks on the ship's automated data-processing system carried out by an organized group working for the interests of a foreign state.

Of course, this incident also exposes the vulnerable structure of ships' (and by extension, maritime industry's) IT infrastructure and critical navigation systems. Historically, these systems were physically separated to prevent outside interference. However, modern vessels increasingly rely on integrated networks to streamline operations, allowing engine performance data, cargo manifests, and navigation charts to be updated and monitored via the same interconnected hubs. The malware found on the Fantastic could have given remote operators the ability to intercept communications, manipulate GPS coordinates, or even disable steering and propulsion during transit.

Technical experts warn that the maritime sector is becoming a primary theater for gray zone warfare, where state actors use cyber-tools to disrupt logistics and sow panic without declaring open conflict. In the case of the Fantastic, the presence of a RAT on a passenger vessel carrying 2,000 civilians might have meant something beyond corporate espionage, but potential sabotage instead. Because ferries often utilize standard PC-based operating systems for administrative tasks, a compromised laptop or a USB drive inserted into a bridge console can serve as a beachhead for a much larger takeover.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez highlighted the seriousness of the situation, noting that the method of delivery, i.e. placing a physical agent on the crew to install the software, suggests a level of planning typically used by intelligence agencies. As the vessel underwent rigorous cleansing of the RAT, security protocols at French ports were immediately tightened.

Future-proofing shipbuilding for a more resilient future...In 2024, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) introduced a pair of requirements that helped to standardize maritime cybersecurity. The requirements, known as UR E26 and E27, mandate that cybersecurity is embedded into ship design and ensures a more holistic approach to shipbuilding. These requirements also align with existing frameworks such as IEC 62443 and NIST.

UR E26 focuses on the cyber resilience of ships themselves, while E27 is aimed at the resilience of on-board systems and equipment. Both requirements aim to increase cyber resilience and mitigate the effects of cyber incidents arising from disruptions to operational technology (OT) in ship operations.

These requirements play a key role in vessels’ resilience to withstand disruption. Moreover, they help mitigate the impact of cyberattacks on public safety. To minimize threats to both areas, it’s critical for shipyards to produce vessels that align to these standards, and future-proof fleets to be ready for a digital future that’s rife with new threats, including managed provisioning of privileged access to key systems.

Historically, operating a vessel required physical presence in the captain’s chair. Today, the proliferation of new technologies allows individuals from virtually any workstation to access and control much of the world’s critical infrastructure.

mundophone

CES 2026

LG and Dolby unveil first ever FlexConnect modular soundbar system

Ahead of CES 2026, LG has officially unveiled the LG Sound Suite, an audio system that's the world’s first soundbar setup powered by Dolby Atmos FlexConnect technology that gives owners the ability to add on more components for a full 13.1.7 home theater if they so choose. We bet that it's only a matter of time when other manufacturers follow suit (we're talking to you, Sonos).

Among other things, Sound Suite and Dolby Atmos FlexConnect attempt to solve the mess that is speaker placement and acoustic calibration by making the process as hands-free as possible. By utilizing built-in mics in a newer LG TV and the speakers, the system maps the room's layout and the specific location of each component. It then dynamically adjusts the audio output, frequency response, and timing for each speaker, ensuring a balanced 3D soundstage regardless of whether a speaker is tucked in a corner or placed unevenly on a bookshelf.

The centerpiece of LG's new lineup is the H7 soundbar because the device acts as a bridge, bringing FlexConnect capabilities to any television it is plugged into. While LG stated that its flagship 2026 TV models will have the technology built-in (with some 2025 models possibly receiving the feature via an update), the H7 soundbar ensures that users don't need to buy a brand-new screen to enjoy the benefits the LG system brings.

Accompanying the soundbar are the M7 and M5 wireless surrounds and W7 subwoofer. What's cool is that LG designed the system to be scalable. Indeed, a user's initial setup might consist of just the soundbar and two rear speakers, but FlexConnect's protocol supports up to 13.1.7 channels. This means you can continue adding M5 or M7 (or newer) units over time to build a 13-channel surround system with up to seven height channels for those overhead effects. 

Sure, TCL was the first to market with FlexConnect with its Z100 speakers. LG’s entry refines the concept, bringing the technology to a much broader audience and integrating it into a more expansive ecosystem of soundbars and subwoofers. That said, why LG limits the system to a single subwoofer is interesting as large Atmos builds sound better with dual or quad subs. 

Pricing and specific release dates for the Sound Suite remain under wraps until the official showcase in Las Vegas. 

mundophone

TECH

Researchers develop powerful new tool for fracture and fatigue prediction

Researchers have developed a powerful new method to simulate and predict how cracks form and grow in engineering materials under repeated loading.

The study, recently published in the International Journal of Fatigue, is the work of IMDEA Materials Institute's Miguel Castillón(image above), and Profs. Javier Segurado and Ignacio Romero. It introduces a novel fatigue crack–propagation framework that combines the strengths of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) with the rapidly advancing phase-field fracture (PFF) approach.

Fracture mechanics and fatigue analysis are two fundamental theories for understanding the failure of materials and structures. While fracture mechanics provides a theoretical framework to study the conditions for quasistatic crack propagation, fatigue analysis focuses on the behavior of materials under cyclic loading conditions.

Traditional phase-field fatigue models estimate fatigue life by simulating loading cycles one by one, a process that becomes extremely slow and computationally expensive when cracks take millions of cycles to develop.

In contrast, the new method requires only a single monotonic simulation while still predicting fatigue life with high accuracy. Moreover, this approach can be directly applied to different materials without the need to repeat simulations for each case, offering greater flexibility and efficiency compared to conventional methods.

"The core of this new methodology lies in the development of novel energy (crack length)-controlled solvers that robustly trace the complete quasi-static equilibrium path of a cracked body, including complex snap-back instabilities, in a single simulation," the paper's authors explain.

The technique works via the numerical evaluation of the derivative of the sample's compliance with respect to the crack area.

To retrieve this compliance the framework relies on a PFF-FEM (finite element method) simulation, controlled imposing a monotonic crack growth. This information is then used together with Paris' law, a standard engineering rule for fatigue prediction, to determine how the crack will propagate over time. Because the simulation does not need to follow each cycle, it can rapidly evaluate long-term fatigue problems, including high-cycle and ultra-high-cycle fatigue, without additional computing cost.

"The proposed framework leverages the energy-controlled simulation to directly compute the evolution of the specimen's compliance and its derivative with respect to the crack length," state the authors. "This avoids the need for computationally expensive cycle-by-cycle simulations, as the fatigue life can be directly integrated using Paris' law from the compliance data of a single quasi-static analysis."

"This significantly reduces computational cost compared to cycle-by-cycle methods and avoids extensive calibration work required by other phase-field fatigue models," they conclude.

The framework was first validated against analytical solutions and also showed high levels of agreement with experimental data resulting from realistic test cases featuring unknown and curved crack paths.

All files needed to reproduce the results of this paper are available on GitHub and can also be explored via the project website.

All simulations were carried out using the PhaseFieldX package (PhaseFieldx Github repository), with its documentation and usage examples available, ensuring full reproducibility, transparency, and easy adaptation to different materials and geometries.

Provided by IMDEA Materials

 

TECH

Internal whistleblowing against large technology companies has had a little-discussed side effect: the profound and lasting impact on the professional lives of those who decide to speak out

Recent accounts from former employees of Meta and other big tech companies show that exposing practices considered harmful to the public can mean isolation, difficulty finding employment, and, in some cases, leaving the technology sector altogether. The information comes from The Washington Post.

One of the most emblematic examples is that of Yaël Eisenstat, former head of election integrity at Facebook. In 2019, she published an article accusing the company — now Meta — of profiting from misleading political advertising through advanced ad targeting tools. The company, in turn, stated that its policies sought to avoid censorship of political speech. After the whistleblowing, Eisenstat reports that her career went into decline: colleagues started talking about her, job interviews stalled, and promising invitations were canceled without explanation.

She claims she even felt "blacklisted" by Silicon Valley, although she doesn't believe Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg directly interfered. For four years, she lived off consulting work until she landed a position with a similar level of responsibility to what she had before.

Allegations against Meta broaden the debate about big tech...Eisenstat is part of a growing group of professionals who accuse big tech companies of compromising user security and causing social harm. This movement has contributed to a series of negative reports, hearings in the United States Congress with industry executives, and proposed laws seeking to restrict or regulate the use of social networks, especially by young people.

This year alone, at least nine current or former Meta employees have come forward with various accusations. Among them is Sarah Wynn-Williams, author of a best-selling book in which she claims that company leaders sought to get closer to the Chinese government, tolerated sexual harassment, and ignored the risks of the platforms to users. Meta countered, saying that the conversations about China were no secret, that allegations of harassment were deemed unfounded after an internal investigation, and that the former employee was fired for poor performance.

Despite this, Wynn-Williams faces a heavy legal battle. Meta won an arbitration that prevents it from promoting the book or making comments considered critical of the company, under penalty of fines. According to its lawyer, the company is seeking damages that could reach tens of millions of dollars. British parliamentarians stated that it is at risk of bankruptcy, while Meta says that activities such as cooperation with regulators and sworn testimony remain protected by law.

Personal and professional costs of challenging tech giants...Experts and whistleblower support organizations say that the reported consequences are not exceptional. According to advocates, those who decide to expose internal problems often face:

-isolation within the technology sector;

-difficulty in obtaining new positions compatible with their experience;

-significant loss of income;

-need to change fields or careers;

-long and exhausting legal processes.

Arturo Béjar, former engineering director and consultant at Meta, reported that he alerted Zuckerberg about data showing frequent harassment of teenagers on Instagram, including his own daughter and her friends. Receiving no response, he decided to contact the press and Congress. After making his concerns public, he said he couldn't get new consulting clients and began living off savings accumulated before the complaint. Even so, he says he doesn't regret it.

Similar cases are repeated outside of Meta. Anika Collier Navaroli, a former Twitter employee, reported being ostracized by colleagues after testifying before Congress about company decisions prior to the Capitol Hill attacks in 2021. Today, she works as a university professor, with lower pay, but says she finds meaning in her new role.

Software engineer Kathryn Spiers, who worked for Google, was fired for modifying a company tool to send a pop-up message in the Chrome browser to other employees with information about labor rights when they accessed certain websites.

She filed a complaint against the company with the National Labor Relations Commission at the time of her dismissal in the United States. Spiers is the fifth Google employee fired in a month in 2019 to complain of retaliation by the company.

The tool in question operated in a version of the Chrome browser, exclusive to employees, and was originally designed to provide information about safety. Spiers modified the feature to include reminders to colleagues that they have the right to organize in collective actions.

Spiers' alert triggered a pop-up window within Chrome if employees visited the page about internal policy or the website of a company involved in attempts to weaken unions — and which was recently consulted by Google.

She worked in the security area of ​​Chrome and was suspended hours after making the modification. Google claims Spiers was fired for violating company policies.

The engineer maintains she had the authority to use the system to alert company employees about new policies. In September 2019, Google had published a list of employee rights, settling a lawsuit filed by the National Labor Relations Commission. "I didn't expect to be fired for this," Spiers told Reuters at the time of her dismissal.

There are exceptions. Frances Haugen, who leaked internal Facebook documents in 2021, stated that she had a financial reserve that reduced the risks. Since then, she has gained public prominence, written a book, and founded a technology policy organization.

Faced with this scenario, governments are beginning to react. Recent laws in California and bills pending in the U.S. Congress are expanding whistleblower protections, particularly in the artificial intelligence sector. Independent organizations have also emerged to offer legal and emotional support.

Nevertheless, the consensus among many of these professionals is that denouncing the practices of big tech companies, including Meta, remains a decision with profound consequences. For several of them, however, the personal cost does not outweigh the conviction that making the problems public was necessary.

mundophone