Smart

Nowadays you could kit out your entire house with smart devices – but that bill would stack up pretty quickly. Fingerbot is essentially a remote-controlled finger that can press buttons and flip switches on demand, making existing devices smarter.

The marketplace is pretty well served when it comes to clever hydration systems. But Hydrade, the newest player in the space, steps things up a notch offering solar power; a nifty sensor that knows if you're drinking from it or pouring it out and a sip-for-sip partnership with a major water charity.

Folks looking for a last mile transport solution have choice-a-plenty nowadays, but the CanguRo offers more than just a comfy ride. The RidRoid robot has some useful smarts cooked in, being able to follow its user around between rides, or make its way to a meeting point on its own.

​Sweden's Teenage Engineering has announced a collaboration with Chinese web services giant Baidu and AI voice assistant developers Raven Tech. The result is a pair of China-only smart speakers that break the mold – H and R.​

At this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, it will be some of the smallest cars that will feature some of the biggest technologies. A day after Mini rolled out its Electric Concept, Daimler is showing the Smart Vision EQ ForTwo, an electric, autonomous two-seater designed specifically for car-sharing.

The Token smart ring packs NFC and Bluetooth connectivity and is designed to take the place of your credit card, house and car keys, workplace access card and even laptop password.

​Brabus is known for powerful Mercedes sports cars, but the tuner isn't afraid to set its sights lower. Based on the lowly three-cylinder Smart ForTwo, the Brabus Ultimate 125 adds a little more power, a bit more style and a crazy ​pricetag to the formula it debuted on the Smart Brabus last year.

Automaker Smart is to begin trialling a service that allows parcels to be delivered to the trunk of a car. "Smart Ready to Drop" is the first innovation from the carmaker's "smart lab" think tank, aimed at "accelerating the development and implementation of creative urban mobility projects."

Kinsa has launched an Elmo-branded version of its smart ear thermometer which it hopes will make taking the temperature of ill kids easier. An app for the new thermometer will feature the voice of the Sesame Street character delivering temperature readings and telling kids to feel better soon.

​Although e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular, we're also hearing more and more about smart bikes. VanMoof has just jumped on the bandwagon with its aptly-named SmartBike, which should prove particularly challenging to thieves.​

A technology incorporated into a sticker about the size of a large postage stamp and as thin as a human hair could provide a more comfortable method for monitoring patient health or eliminate tickets to sporting events and concerts.

Thanks to inbuilt sensors, the oombrella predicts when it’s going to rain, alerts you when you’ve left it behind, and has a Kevlar frame to keep it from collapsing in high winds.