Each year, the Tech Podcasts Network honors the most compelling innovations showcased at CES. The Best of CES Awards highlight companies whose technologies demonstrate exceptional creativity, real‑world impact, and forward‑looking vision. The 2026 awards span energy, health, wellness, wearables, and artificial intelligence, reflecting the diversity and ambition of this year's show. Five winners were selected by the hosts, production team, and the full TPN staff, each representing a different facet of technological progress.
Scott Ertz of PLUGHITZ Live selected Commonwealth Fusion Systems for its work in advancing fusion energy. The company develops fusion power plants designed to deliver clean, carbon‑free energy through a fundamentally different process than traditional nuclear fission. Its approach uses compact, high‑field tokamak systems engineered to achieve net energy gain, a milestone long considered out of reach. The company's SPARC demonstration device, currently under assembly in Massachusetts, is expected to validate this capability. The award recognizes the significance of bringing fusion energy from theoretical ambition to practical engineering, marking a potential turning point in global energy development.
The TPN production team selected Coroflo for its innovation in maternal and infant health. The company developed a smart nipple shield capable of measuring milk transfer during breastfeeding, addressing a long‑standing challenge for new parents and healthcare providers. The device offers real‑time insight into feeding volume, helping families understand whether infants are receiving adequate nutrition. This technology supports breastfeeding success during the critical early months of development and provides data that has historically been unavailable outside clinical environments. The award acknowledges the company's commitment to solving a deeply personal and widely experienced problem through thoughtful engineering.
Serge Velazquez of PLUGHITZ Live selected Hydrawav3 for its compact wellness device designed to support hydration and recovery. The system uses a portable form factor and user‑friendly interface to deliver wellness‑focused functionality intended for everyday use. The company's development process, which began as a small‑scale effort in Sedona, reflects a commitment to accessible health technology. The award recognizes the team's dedication to creating a device that blends practicality, portability, and wellness‑driven design, as well as the strong reception it received from attendees and potential partners during the show.
Don Baine, The Gadget Professor, selected Rokid for its advanced smart glasses platform. The glasses integrate long‑battery‑life performance, real‑time translation, high‑quality audio, and extended video capture capabilities. A micro‑projector embedded in the frame enables heads‑up display functionality, including navigation overlays and contextual information. The glasses also support prescription lens integration, expanding accessibility for everyday use. The award highlights the company's achievement in delivering a wearable device that performs reliably across multiple use cases, demonstrating maturity in a category that has often struggled with durability, battery limitations, and inconsistent functionality.
The Tech Podcasts Network's collective Best of CES 2026 Award was presented to Algorized for its life‑detection artificial intelligence platform. The company develops models capable of identifying human presence through environmental sensing, enabling applications in rescue operations, autonomous systems, and safety‑critical environments. The technology supports scenarios where visibility is limited or obstructed, allowing machines to recognize human life even when traditional sensors cannot. The award reflects the team's belief that this capability represents a foundational advancement for physical AI, human‑machine interaction, and real‑world safety. The selection acknowledges both the technical achievement and the potential societal impact of deploying life‑sensing AI across industries.
Conclusion
The Tech Podcasts Network Best of CES 2026 Awards celebrate companies that push boundaries and address meaningful challenges through innovation. From clean energy and maternal health to wellness, wearables, and AI‑driven safety, this year's winners represent the breadth of creativity shaping the future of technology. Each award honors a distinct contribution to progress, reflecting the diverse and transformative spirit of CES.
Scott Ertz is a seasoned media professional whose dynamic presence spans broadcasting, journalism, and tech storytelling. As Editor-in-Chief of PLUGHITZ Live, he leads a multimedia platform that blends insightful reporting with engaging live coverage of major industry events. He's best known as the host of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, a long-running show that demystifies emerging tech trends with clarity and charisma, and Piltch Point, where he collaborates with Avram Piltch to spotlight cutting-edge innovations.
Scott's media journey began with a passion for connecting audiences to the pulse of technology. His work has taken him behind the scenes at CES, Collision Conference, and FIRST Robotics events, where he's interviewed industry leaders and captured the cultural impact of tech in real time. His on-camera style is both approachable and informed, making complex topics accessible to viewers across platforms.
Beyond hosting, Scott is a developer and producer, shaping the technical backbone of PLUGHITZ Corporation's properties. His storytelling is rooted in authenticity, whether he's scripting historical segments or crafting social media narratives. With a background in gaming culture and community engagement, Scott brings a unique blend of nostalgia, innovation, and journalistic integrity to every broadcast. His voice is one of curiosity, connection, and creative leadership.
