CES 2018: five best gadgets from the Las Vegas tech show

CES 2018 is nearly underway, and we’re getting the first look at the gadgets and technology that will shape the coming year.

The Las Vegas tech show welcomes thousands of visitors and exhibitors, showing off their latest software, hardware, and unexpected tech treats.

Following some early previews, here’s a look at the five best bits of kit that will be seen on the show floor once the event opens.

1) YouCam Makeup

AR tech has already been harnessed to add dog ears and spooky filters to Snapchat and Instagram filters, but YouCam Makeup takes augmented selfies to the next level. Give yourself a vibrant new hair colour or try some new contouring, with impressive accuracy.

2) Buddy

This charming robot has already been named as one of the winners of Best of Innovation at CES, and it’s easy to see why. Blue Frog Robotics’ android companion offers home security, entertainment, and education features, with speech recognition and real-time house mapping.

3) Face Camera Pro

Selfies are all well and good – but what about a self-portrait you can 3D print? Bellus3D’s Face Camera Pro takes a depth-sensing scan of your face, and you can export it to a 3D printer to make a mask of yourself. Useful for lo-fi remakes of Mission: Impossible.

4) R-Pur anti-pollution mask

A must-have for city cyclists, this mask filters out toxic particles, pollens and viruses, with a replaceable filter. This French-made gadget has already been a hit on Kickstarter.

5) Wink Bar

Another clever bit of cycling kit, the Wink Bar by Velco is a smart-connected handlebar that links up to your smartphone. It can offer directions to your destination with winking lights when you come to a fork in the road, with GPS tracking in case of theft.

Mark Blunden flew as a guest of Virgin Atlantic, which flies the Boeing 747-400 daily from Gatwick to Las Vegas. More details: virginatlantic.com