The blockchain has been around for some time now, but thanks to the increasing acceptance of cryptocurrencies and the very recent rise of NFTs (nonfungible tokens), it's finally being accepted and discussed by the wider public. For the first time this year, NFTs got their own dedicated space on the marketing floor at CES, the world-famous electronics trade show held in Las Vegas each year. But beyond all the high-minded talk about accountability and security, what real products are being made using blockchain technology? Some very interesting answers are available at CES 2022, from smart TVs to electric vehicles.
Take a look at five of some of the coolest, most innovative applications of blockchain technology that were on display at CES 2022.
This sponsored list was created with the participation of INDI EV.
The new electric car from Southern California-based startup Independent Electric Vehicle is the latest competitor to enter the burgeoning electric vehicle space. The vehicle, called the IndiEV, which was exhibited at this year's CES, is sleek, dependable, and offers a range of up to 300 miles. But what really makes this car special is the supercomputer under its hood, which allows consumers to play video games, participate in metaverse systems, and generally leverage the kind of computing power they need to pursue their creative endeavors on the go - whenever they're not driving, that is.
That supercomputer (called the VIC, or vehicle-integrated computer) also allows each car to function as a node on the blockchain, creating "a new type of mobile blockchain." The potential consequences could be huge for the technology, as every new purchase of an IndiEV over time would amount to another adaptation of blockchain.
“Most simply, the average consumer sees their vehicle as a mode of transportation that gets them from point A to B, but that is because that’s all it’s ever been,” said INDI EV Head of Design Andre Hudson in a recent news release. “The future of electric vehicles can potentially be so much more."
TVs are growing increasingly more like personal computers, connecting to the internet to display not just TV and movies, but also websites, security feeds, and more on a bigger screen than those on laptops, desktops, and smartphones. At CES 2022, Samsung extended that trend toward the still-developing "Web 3.0" by equipping its latest smart TVs to display the NFTs owned by consumers, show them the blockchain-backed history of those NFTs, and allow them to browse and purchase new ones.
“With demand for NFTs on the rise, the need for a solution to today’s fragmented viewing and purchasing landscape has never been greater,” the company said in a press release quoted by The Verge. “In 2022, Samsung is introducing the world’s first TV screen-based NFT explorer and marketplace aggregator, a groundbreaking platform that lets you browse, purchase, and display your favorite art - all in one place.”
Samsung is taking care to ensure that its TVs are capable of displaying each NFT with the kind of visual quality owners expect. A smart calibration feature will work to automatically configure the TVs settings so each NFT is rendered as close to its original quality as possible.
Most of what we hear about the blockchain relates to cryptocurrency and NFTs, because they're new technologies used directly by consumers. But perhaps the most revolutionary application of the blockchain will happen behin the scenes of every transaction consumers make, providing an irrefutable record of every product and its ownership. That's exactly the kind of system VeriTise hopes to provide businesses everywhere.
VeriTise uses the up-to-the-minute, precise record-keeping allowed by the blockchain to help businesses understand what they're buying and who else has owned it from a distance. The records created by VeriTise's system could exponentially grow businesses' available data on their products and customers, greatly aiding their ability to provide customer service and optimize their supply chains. The company exhibited its technology at CES 2022.
If you're having a hard time understanding the value of NFTs, the new Wave display from software company Atomic Form makes their appeal stunningly apparent. Wave connects to the Atomic Form Hub, which features all your NFTs across chains and marketplaces, giving users the ability to seamlessly manage their verifiably owned digital properties.
Atomic Form's product has a stunning 4K LCD IPS display, and allows users to control the size, aspect ratio, and matte color. As if the high-definition digital display weren't aesthetically pleasing enough, the product itself has a modern, minimalist design that mimics a piece of framed fine art. NFT enthusiasts were able to see the product in action on the floor of CES 2022.
Getting paid for gaming may sound like a fantasy, but Haste is using blockchain technology to make it a reality. The Haste Arcade, unveiled at CES 2022, charges gamers to pay a small fee in cryptocurrency before playing a game. If they score high enough to end up on that game's leaderboard, they earn a percentage of every payment to play the game until someone knocks them off. Individual gamers can select lower levels that cost less to play, or higher levels that have a higher buy-in, but offer bigger potential rewards.
The product doesn't just present video game enthusiasts with a way to make money from their passion; it also represents an innovative application of the blockchain - one that ensures gamers are paid appropriately, and one that saves the achievements of each player permanently.
