The Consumer Technology Association announced the 2026 Innovation Awards honorees ahead of CES, highlighting a record year with more than 3,600 submissions across 36 categories. New additions include EdTech, Enterprise Tech, Filmmaking & Distribution, Supply & Logistics, and Travel & Tourism. The entries showed sharp growth in AI, robotics, and drones, signaling that companies are shifting from prototypes to deployable automation and edge intelligence.
CTA leaders said this year’s record participation reflects the industry’s move toward practical, real-world solutions. The focus has shifted from experimental to applicable, and the 2026 honorees demonstrate that shift clearly. Here are some of the different trends and winners from this year’s innovation award honorees.
Trend 1: AI moves to the edge and into infrastructure
Many Best of Innovation winners highlighted AI stepping off the cloud and into devices, vehicles, and local gateways. Doosan Robotics’ Scan&Go platform topped the AI category, pairing perception and autonomy for mobile robots that can map, navigate, and work in real environments. Sixfab’s ALPON X5 edge gateway, powered by DeepX’s DX-M1 chip, earned recognition for its low-power, high-accuracy inference capabilities suited for smart cities and factories.
Samsung received a Best of Innovation honor in cybersecurity for the S3SSE2A, an embedded security chip with hardware-level post-quantum cryptography. The device is designed to secure future connected products.
Trend 2: Robotics gets practical on job sites
Construction, safety, and logistics all saw major advances. JLG, part of Oshkosh, won Best of Innovation in Robotics for a boom lift equipped with a robotic end effector that performs elevated tasks such as welding or inspection. Oshkosh also earned recognition in the Travel & Tourism category for the Striker Volterra electric airport rescue vehicle, showing how autonomy and electrification are reshaping essential operations.
Trend 3: Displays and TVs chase new form factors
LG’s transparent OLED display was among the standout honorees in imaging, representing a major step in blending design and technology. LG Display also earned attention for its in-vehicle OLED concepts, which suggest thinner, brighter, and more flexible screens for car interiors. The result is a generation of displays that function as both décor and instrumentation.
Trend 4: Batteries and energy tech focus on safety and density
Samsung SDI’s SDI 25U-Power cylindrical battery won a Best of Innovation Award for pairing tabless construction with better thermal safety. The company’s new cell design aims to improve power delivery, charging speed, and heat resistance.
Trend 5: Health, sport, and animal tech expand data capture
Garmin picked up five Innovation Awards across its product line, including a MicroLED multisport watch, a runner-focused Forerunner, the Venu health model, a diver communication buoy, and an equine wellness monitor. This reflects the continued spread of biometric and wellness sensors into specialized fields and companion devices.
Trend 6: Mobility blends specialized vehicles with smarter interiors
Beyond electric vehicles, this year’s honorees featured detachable automotive storage drives, advanced in-vehicle displays, and mobility services designed for smarter transportation networks. The improvements reflect a focus on adaptability, data security, and interior intelligence.
Category highlights
- Artificial Intelligence: Doosan Robotics Scan&Go autonomous mobile robot system
- Enterprise Tech: HP EliteDesk 8 Mini G1a Next Gen AI PC; Sixfab ALPON X5 AI edge computer
- Cybersecurity: Samsung S3SSE2A embedded security chip with post-quantum protection
- Construction & Industrial Tech: Samsung SDI 25U-Power cylindrical battery
- Robotics: JLG Boom Lift with Robotic End Effector
- Imaging: LG SIGNATURE OLED T transparent display
- Travel & Tourism: Oshkosh Striker Volterra electric airport rescue and firefighting vehicle
- EdTech: tonies Toniebox 2 learning audio player
Why it matters
The 2026 CES Innovation Awards show that technology is becoming more focused on practicality and deployment. Instead of concept videos and future promises, this year’s products are real, functional, and ready for integration. From post-quantum chips and transparent screens to safer batteries and construction robots, the honorees of CES 2026 highlight how innovation is shifting toward tangible impact.
