CES 2026 Best-in-Show: Winners
January 06, 2026
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All entries are judged using a 15-point rubric that assesses design excellence, relative performance, and market impact/disruption. Judging is managed by the ECD Content Team.
AI & Machine Learning
EMASS, a Nanoveu subsidiary - ECS-DoT
An AI-enabled system-on-chip (SoC) for power-efficient, real-time edge intelligence. Built for rapid-wake sensor processing in battery-constrained devices, it integrates a RISC-V MCU, deep learning accelerators, multi-sensor interfaces, and on-chip memory with an event-driven architecture. This enables near-instantaneous inference latency and sub-milliwatt power consumption. By processing audio, motion, and environmental data locally, ECS-DoT supports always-on wake word detection and activity recognition without cloud dependency.
TDK - EdgeRX
An industrial machine‑health monitoring platform that combines edge AI, sensors, a gateway, and cloud integration to deliver real-time equipment diagnostics and predictive maintenance. Its wireless sensors continuously track vibration, temperature, and other operational metrics, processing data locally to detect anomalies even on legacy machines. With minimal installation, automatic data collection, and a user-friendly dashboard, edgeRX enables condition-based and predictive maintenance.
TDK - SED0122-CR
TDK AIsight introduces the SED0112, a next-generation ultra-low power DSP microcontroller purpose-built for AI glasses. Integrating a microcontroller, state machine, and optimized hardware CNN engine, SED0112 enables always-on eye intent and contextual sensing while keeping the host processor in low-power or off states until needed. Designed for context-aware computing, it supports multiple vision sensors, simplifies system control, and delivers efficient, responsive user experiences for real-time recognition, visual analysis, memory, and recall.
Analog, Power & Related Components
TDK - 960W DIN rail mount programmable DC-UPS
The TDK-Lambda DUSH series is a compact DIN-rail-mount programmable DC-UPS delivering 960 W, providing a robust power backup system for mission-critical applications. It supports a wide input range (10–60 V) and delivers 10–58 V at up to 20 A to the load, plus an optional 5 A auxiliary output. The DUSH series reliably manages battery charging and supports multiple battery types (lead, nickel, lithium, or supercapacitors up to 1000 Ah).
Dev Tools, Software & OS
QNX and Vector - Alloy Kore
A pre-integrated, safety- and security-certified solution designed to accelerate the development of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). The platform combines QNX’s robust real-time operating system and hypervisor with Vector’s automotive middleware to deliver a scalable, secure, and modular solution for high-performance computing across vehicle domains. Built-in diagnostics, containerization, and standardized APIs simplify integration, reduce development time, and support future-proof vehicle architectures.
MEMS & Sensors
Seyond - Hummingbird D1
An automotive-grade, fully solid-state LiDAR engineered for next-generation perception. As Seyond’s first solid-state platform, D1 enables large-scale solid-state LiDAR deployment in passenger vehicles. Its electronic scanning architecture eliminates mechanical components, delivering high durability, reliability, and performance consistency in harsh environments. Hummingbird D1 provides real-time, high-resolution 3D sensing and supports a satellite architecture with raw data output and centralized processing.
TDK - InvenSense SmartMotion for Smart Glasses
SmartMotion for Smart Glasses (ICM-45685) delivers ultra-low-power, context-aware motion tracking for AI and AR eyewear. Featuring a custom IMU with BalancedGyro and on-chip sensor fusion, it enables high-precision head orientation tracking, optical/electronic image stabilization, and intuitive UI control. Built-in machine learning via TDK’s Sensor Inference Framework supports activity recognition, donning/doffing detection, and vibration rejection.
Microcontrollers, Microprocessors & IP
femtoAI - SPU-001 (Sparse Processing Unit) AI Accelerator
An AI accelerator designed for ultra-efficient neural network inference on embedded systems. It uses a sparsity-native architecture with a patented memory format and instruction set that eliminates up to 90% of computation and memory storage requirements while maintaining model accuracy. Compared to existing edge AI solutions, SPU-001 delivers 100x lower power consumption with a 10x smaller silicon footprint. It enables real-time (<4 ms) inference at microwatt-level power for workloads such as voice commands and speech enhancement.
Efficient Computer - Electron E1
The Electron E1 is a high-performance, energy-efficient processor built on Efficient Computer’s Fabric architecture, delivering exceptional performance per watt for edge and embedded workloads. Its tightly integrated compute clusters and on-chip interconnect enable low-latency data movement, while advanced AI acceleration supports demanding real-time applications in robotics, automation, and sensing. Its architecture enables real-time robotics, automation, and sensing applications previously constrained by power, size, or cost.
Security
Thistle Technologies - Thistle Technologies Security Platform
Thistle Technologies’ Security Platform now provides comprehensive Secure Boot enablement and lifecycle security for Qualcomm Snapdragon–based devices. The platform automates eFuse configuration, cryptographic key generation, certificate management, and multi-image signing required by Snapdragon architectures, all backed by hardware security modules (HSMs). Thistle integrates into existing CI/CD workflows to securely sign bootloaders, firmware, operating systems, and trusted components.
Wireless
Nordic Semiconductor - nRF54LM20A
An ultra-low power wireless Bluetooth LE SoC for next-generation consumer, smart home, commercial, and industrial IoT products requiring high performance in compact form factors. Built on Nordic’s 22nm technology platform, it delivers high-memory 2 MB NVM and 512 KB RAM and high-speed USB and up to 66 GPIO. The solution features a 128 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 processor, RISC-V coprocessor, and fourth-generation ultra-low-power 2.4 GHz radio, supporting Bluetooth LE, Channel Sounding, Matter over Thread, and more.
