The first week of January can mean only one thing (beyond the fact that those holiday decorations really need to be put back into the garage): CES is lighting up Las Vegas once again.
Formerly the Consumer Electronics Show, CES says it “connects innovators, decision makers, media, influencers, visionaries and potential customers across the entire tech ecosystem,” including health care and assistive technology. This week, more than 140,000 attendees and 3,500 exhibitors are expected to descend upon the desert.
Any event that emphasizes innovation and creative thinking is going to be a mix of real-world products either currently available or available very soon, and products in concept or prototype stages that will either be very different at actual launch or will never move beyond a proof-of-concept phase.
Still, CES is a great opportunity to see what could be coming to the assistive technology space sooner … or later. Here are four exhibitors worth looking into.
WheelMove power assist launching in Vegas
WheelMove, launching at CES, bills itself as “the only product on the market for manual wheelchairs that provides a solution [for] all roads.” The company adds that the power-assist device is “quick and easy to install” and “transportable,” measuring 19.685 x 9.842 inches (50 cm x 25 cm) and weighing less than 17.637 lbs. (8 kg).
WheelMove users can travel up to 15.53 miles (25 km) on a single charge.
“Thanks to its quick connect attachments, installing WheelMove on your wheelchair could not be quicker or easier,” the company said. “And its telescopic rod permits to adapt to all type of manual wheelchair without implying complex modifications or damage.”
The company, based in Compiègne, France, said via CES, “With already first orders underway, launch is planned for mid 2026 in Europe and then North America.”
Image courtesy WheelMove.
MaaS-Bridge wins 2026 Innovation Award
The Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS)-Bridge AI-based system has won a CES 2026 Best of Innovation award in the travel and tourism category.
The system “creates safe, accessible connection points between vehicles and pedestrian paths, ensuring secure pick-up and drop-off experiences for all users in evolving transportation environments,” CES said. “As autonomous buses, taxis, and mobility services become commercially available, users will include those with visual impairments, wheelchair users, seniors, and families, each requiring specific pedestrian features such as ramps, tactile paving, or curb modifications.
“Current navigation services generate routes for non-disabled adult users, overlooking these diverse needs. MaaS‑Bridge addresses this gap by conducting multi‑dimensional analyses of road traffic flow, pedestrian infrastructure near destinations, and user profiles to propose optimal Mobility Points. These recommendations ensure the physical accessibility and operational feasibility of transfer areas, enabling seamless first‑ and last‑mile travel.”
LBS Tech, the company behind Maas-Bridge, is headquartered in Seoul.
SEERU honored in mobile device category
SEERU — which stands for “See Rear for U” — is a 2026 CES honoree in the Mobile Devices, Accessories & Apps category as a “compact rear safety device that protects mobility riders from unseen hazards approaching from behind.” SEERU works by “integrating radar, camera and taillight functions into a unified system” and alerts riders with audio, visual and vibration cues that can be customized to the user’s preferences.
“SEERU is especially valuable for seniors and those with hearing or mobility limitations who face unique challenges in staying aware in mixed-traffic environments,” CES noted. The system is the brainchild of HL Klemove, headquartered in Incheon, South Korea.
Image courtesy HL Klemove.
XSTO to demonstrate AI-powered power chairs
XSTO’s “all-terrain mobility robotics” devices can cross obstacles, climb stairs, and return to driving configuration upon recognizing that the last step has been reached. The company describes its X12 as featuring a “wheeled quadruped robotic chassis + dual-track climbing system flexibility” for a total of 14 sets of powered systems that can navigate slopes, ramps “and rugged surfaces as if it [is] traversing flat ground.”
The company, established in 2014 and based in Zhongshan, China, also produces the A6, “a high-performance, agile bipedal robot that masters complex terrain with advanced AI self-balance control for research and inspection.” Its uses include as a toy for kids and pets, and as a “hands-on platform for STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] learning.”
Image courtesy XSTO.
