Smartphone add-ons grow up at CES 2014: Thermal imaging cases, stun gun battery packs, tricorders, and more

At CES 2014, if you see past the usual slew of new TVs and laptops, there is one big trend that’s received hardly any coverage: Smartphone add-ons. While the last few years have seen no shortage of smartphone cases and plug-in gadgets that provide additional functionality, it appears that 2014 will take smartphone add-ons to the next level. At CES 2014, just to name a few, we have seen an add-on that turns your phone into a functional medical tricorder, a case that turns your phone into a 650,000-volt stun gun, and my personal favorite: a case that turns your iPhone 5 or 5S into a thermal imaging device.

Thermal imaging on a smartphone

Let’s start with the thermal imaging case, because let’s face it: Who doesn’t love thermal imaging? Created by FLIR Systems, the FLIR One is the first consumer-oriented thermal imaging system for a smartphone. It comes in the form of a smartphone case that fits either the iPhone 5 or 5S, with a planned release date of spring 2014 and target price of “under $350.” Cases that fit certain Android phones (presumably the Galaxy S4) will arrive later in 2014. The FLIR One contains a normal camera, an infrared camera (thermal energy is mostly emitted as infrared), and a battery pack at the bottom. It looks like it attaches to he iPhone via the Lightning Bolt connector.

In practice, output from the FLIR (forward-looking infrared) One looks exactly like the thermal imaging cameras that you might’ve seen on the TV. In theory, you could use the FLIR One to see in the dark, check the quality of your home’s insulation, to play a killer game of hide-and-seek, or to navigate burning smoke-filled house (infrared can penetrate smoke, unlike visible light). The FLIR One website says you can use it to detect wet areas and leaks before mold develops — or perhaps to spy on animals (or humans?) outside as they move around under the cover of darkness. (See: How to turn your DSLR into a full spectrum ‘super camera’.)

Tase would-be smartphone thieves

If the FLIR One lets you spot thieves and ne’er-do-wells from a distance, the Yellow Jacket stun gun case is what you want for close-quarters combat. Priced at $100, and again just for the iPhone 4/4S/5/5S, the Yellow Jacket is essentially a large case with a built-in battery and two electrodes at the top. When you push a button, 650,000 volts flow across the electrodes, creating a weapon. Apparently the electrodes are sharp enough to penetrate clothing.

If you watch some video reviews, though, it’s clear that the Yellow Jacket is more of deterrent than a disabler; the voltage is enough to sting, but it won’t knock an assailant down like a real taser or stun gun. As a nice aside, though, when you’re not using the Yellow Jacket to shock people, the extra battery doubles up as a reserve battery, doubling your iPhone’s battery life. It sounds like a Galaxy S4 version is planned, but no release date is given.

Smartphone self-diagnosis
One of the most exciting applications made possible by smartphones is the tricorder — a portable device (from the Star Trek universe) that’s got so many sensors that it can measure/detect just about anything: Gas leaks, electrical faults, atmospheric pressure, whether someone is lying, cancer, etc. Basically, with enough sensors and software, there’s no reason your smartphone can’t become a tricorder.

Obviously, creating a universal tricorder would be an expensive endeavor, but Scanadu is getting the ball rolling with a specialized medical tricorder. Called the Scout (pictured above), you hold it up to your head, whereupon its sensors can measure your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood-oxygen levels, skin and core temperature, and other important metrics. The Scout has no screen of its own, instead beaming data to a smartphone app. The general idea is that you would use the Scout on a regular basis, allowing the app to track your general health and to alert you if it appears that something might be wrong. There’s currently no price or release date, and before it goes on sale Scanadu still needs to get FDA approval. (Read: Turning the smartphone from a telephone into a tricorder.)

Audiovisual and increased battery life

As usual, CES 2014 is also home to the usual selection of audiovisual and battery life add-ons. For discerning phone photographers, Izzi showed off its Orbit Pro case for the iPhone 5 and 5S, which allows you to position four different lenses in front of your standard iPhone camera, allowing for macro, fisheye, telescopic, and wide-angle photography. Beyerdynamic, on the other hand, is catering to audiophiles with its A200p amplifier, which plugs into the USB or Lightning Bolt connector on your phone and hijacks the audio signal — a bit like the USB audio breakout boxes that have been common on the PC for years. Priced at $300, the A200p is definitely for audiophiles — or perhaps for emergency DJ work.

When it comes to improving your smartphone’s pitiful battery life, Prong showed off its ingenious iPhone 5/5S PocketPlug case that allows you to plug your phone directly into the mains. Our good friends at Power Practical are also at CES, showing off its new PowerPot X thermoelectric generator — a saucepan, with two USB sockets, that generates up to 10 watts of power while you heat it. The idea is that the PowerPotX lets you recharge your smartphone (or other USB devices) while preparing a meal in the great outdoors. (See: How to charge your smartphone and other USB devices as quickly as possible.)

Now that almost everyone carries a smartphone with decent processing power and PC-like connectivity, it will be very interesting to see how the add-on (peripheral) market develops over the next few years. It’s potentially one of the most lucrative and untapped markets out there — and where there’s money, you can be guaranteed that innovation will follow. The smartphone add-ons at CES 2014 are just the tip of the iceberg.