This week the Consumer Electronics Shows, or CES 2019, is underway. CES 2019 lasts from January 8 to 11 and features 4,500 companies and over 180,000 attendees in a sprawling convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association, the popular expo has showcased technological innovation since 1967. Here are some highlights from CES 2019 so far:

CES 2019 opened with the usual enthralling, high-tech concepts: a flying car, boxing robot, and new smartphones. Transportation startup Bell introduced an "air taxi," a hybrid electric propulsion flying car that aims to be available for Uber ridesharing by the middle of the next decade. It will seat five people and carry up to 600 pounds. Bell has partnered with Uber to explore aerial ridesharing plans. Gym equipment manufacturer SkyTech Sport showcased a robotic boxing trainer that works better than a human. With a price tag of $19,900, the boxing robot features sensors that detect pressure and movement as well as voice guidance and a competitive sparring mode. Chinese tech firm Huawei debuted the Honor View 20, a smartphone boasting a 48-megapixel 3-dimensional camera. The 6.4-inch phone has a gorgeous red chevron pattern, the rear camera uses artificial intelligence to capture details, and the front camera allows selfies of 25 megapixels. The Android phone also features a 4,000 mAh battery, 128 gigabytes of storage, and 6 gigabytes of memory, all better than the average phone.

Mercedes-Benz showcased its autonomous Vision Urbanetic concept vehicle, and BMW featured a self-driving motorcycle. Philips Hue smart home tech introduced a weatherproof motion sensor, new color-changing lighting fixtures, and a lock that scans faces. Verde's treadmill helps people exercise and generate electricity to power their smart homes. Google (GOOGL  ) announced many new upgrades and integrations for Google Assistant, its artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant. And Dell (DELL  ) debuted the Alienware Area-51m laptop, which it calls the world's most powerful gaming laptop. It lives up to the name with a 17-inch screen, 64 gigabytes of memory, 2.5 gigabit Ethernet, and eight-core processors.

There was also some weird tech at CES 2019. Japanese robotics startup Groove X introduced Lovot, a cuddly robot that tries to make its owner happy. Lovot, which will cost $5,520, snuggles, follows people around, waves its arms, and falls asleep. The Mui smart display is a piece of wood that is touch-sensitive and displays visual data. It can connect to Google Assistant. Finally, the $7,000 Kohler Numi intelligent toilet allows users to chat with the Amazon (AMZN  ) Alexa while being occupied. A controversy is that an acclaimed sex toy for women was banned from the showcase. Some attendees have criticized CES for discriminating against women's empowerment. Overall, the next few days of CES 2019 will hopefully provide more intriguing sights.

The author does not hold any positions in any of the securities above.