Fascinating Health and Wellness Innovations at CES 2026

CES 2026 is officially here, and though the main event kicks off on Tuesday, ZDNET's specialists have already given us a sneak preview of what's in store.

As someone who edits for health and wearables at ZDNET, I've been hitting the pavement along the Vegas Strip. My mission has been to engage with health technology brands about their cutting-edge products, all the while building anticipation for the upcoming trends in consumer health and wellness. Below is a compilation of the most intriguing and noteworthy devices I have encountered to date. As the week progresses, I will continue to update this list with any new gadgets that make a significant impression on me, including hands-on experiences whenever available.

Innovative Allergen Detector: Allergen Alert

Dining out with a severe food allergy often involves complex challenges. People with common food allergies frequently need to provide detailed explanations to restaurant staff and vigilantly check their meals to prevent reactions. Even with the best intentions, cross-contamination is always a risk.

Enter Allergen Alert, a device designed to eliminate the uncertainty surrounding food safety. This gadget samples your meal in its pouch, mashes it, dilutes the sample, and tests for lactose or gluten presence. Antoine Burgaud, the CEO of Allergen Alert, assures it's FDA-approved and in use at elite dining establishments to avert cross-contamination.

The device will be available by mid-2026 to test for traces of lactose and gluten, with an intention to incorporate more allergens in the near future.

Advanced Smart Scale: Withings BodyScan 2

The Withings Body Scan 2 is not just a typical scale. It's a comprehensive device that assesses factors like hypertension risk, heart performance, arterial health, and metabolic function. In under 90 seconds, it measures several health indicators and presents the results to you.

According to Withings, the insights provided by this scale and its accompanying app prove indispensable during periods of cardiometabolic instability. Be it stress, lack of physical activity, weight fluctuations, menopause, or perimenopause, it aims to assist users effectively.

Sunlight Enhancer: Sunbooster

Office-bound individuals may miss the daily dose of natural sunlight crucial for keeping energy levels up, enhancing mood, and maintaining skin health.

Sunbooster addresses this by attaching to screens like monitors, laptops, or tablets, casting near-infrared light on users as they work for a couple of hours daily. You can monitor this sunlight supplement through its three integrated near-infrared lights. The creators, SunLED Life Science, are also developing a phone case and monitor version, integrating daily screen use with beneficial sun exposure.

Pebble Round 2: Slim, Lasting Smartwatch

Over a decade since its first appearance, Pebble brings a new edition of its smartwatch. The Pebble Round 2 is remarkably slim, comparable to the previous Pebble Time Round, and boasts an impressive battery life of ten days.

Eric Migicovsky, Pebble's CEO, envisioned a smartwatch that is both streamlined and retains a classic analog feel, with an enhanced e-paper display for better readability.