Parks Associates’ analyst team attended the 58th annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which kicks off the new year in tech every January with over 4,000 exhibitors and close to 150,000 attendees. The agency also hosted its 20th Annual CONNECTIONS Summit at CES, the official smart home partner of the show; there, they discussed the most impactful dynamics shaping the connected home, including AI advancements, the shifting home security market, new approaches to home energy management, the expansion of the multifamily market, and more of potential interest to active-aging management.

The agency put their CES highlights together in a free white paper that assesses how show product announcements will shape the 2026 market for consumer technologies and services across AI solutions, smart homes, consumer electronics, entertainment, and health.

One highlighted breakthrough is the smart toilet, helpful for anyone but particularly positioned for older adults. The white paper states, “For senior living facilities, caregivers, and aging-in-place households, smart toilet technology offers a rare combination of passive monitoring and high clinical relevance…The key challenge will be ensuring data accuracy, privacy, and seamless sharing with caregivers and healthcare providers—without increasing burden on older users.”

Many other products are expanding their positioning and, therefore, their potential utility, including smart glasses; AI-enabled meal and nutrition trackers; “wireless living room” setups for home entertainment; and security cameras that are “super sensors,” capable of differentiating between “a family member moving through a room, a pet wandering about, or a legitimate security event.”

To download the free white paper, click here