Top tech trends in 2025: Futuristic gadgets you will use in 2026 - Part 2

Futuristic technology is moving fast out of concept and by the year 2026 most of the next generation technology will be in day-to-day lives. Personal mobility devices such as foldable e-bikes and miniature eVTOL flyers, artificial intelligence sleep headphones that can change soundscapes in real time, people will engage with technology in a way that was previously perceived only through science-fiction. 

The houses will have smart environmentally friendly designs like floating LED lamps and automatic water growing plant pods, and makers will use portable CNC robots to fabricate anywhere. Gesture-control bands, smart projectors, real-time language translators, AI-controlled cameras, autonomous delivery robots and AI-controlled home assistants will transform day-to-day activities. 

Smart poles in cities will have IoT, devices will be faster on edge AI chips, and convenience and productivity at home will be made possible by home robotics and AR glasses. In the meantime, health wearables that are driven by AI will change personal health monitoring. All of these breakthroughs are what bring us to one definitive conclusion: in 2026, futuristic gadgets will no longer be viewed as futuristic, just like they are going to be a part and parcel of life. Here are the Top tech trends in 2025 that will be common and will make lives easy in 2026.

AI-enabled sleep headphones supporting healthier rest

The technology of sleep devices is changing significantly as the companies introduce adaptive Artificial Intelligence into wearables. Introduced smart headphones and headbands can track breathing, heart rate, and brain activity and play soundscapes in real time. Brands such as Oro, Muse, and Philips have prototypes based on the principles of neural feedback, which reduce stress levels and enhance sleep cycles. As sleep disorders afflict 30% of US adults and the sleep market industry is expected to reach a new peak of 40 billion dollars by 2030, sleep technology powered by AI will be a standard health requirement in 2026.

Sleep headphones powered by AI are transforming the sleeping process through monitoring breathing, heart rate and brain activity and playing customised soundscapes in response to these parameters in real time. They are essential in having healthier rest, though the neural feedback of these devices helps lessen stress and enhance sleep patterns. Examples for daily use:

• Muse Headband

• Philips SmartSleep Headband.

• Oro Sleep Headphones

• Dreem Headband

• Bose Sleepbuds

These are AI-powered devices that are becoming the norm of enhancing sleep and general well-being

Portable CNC robots empowering the maker economy

The personalisation of manufacturing is underway with portable CNC robots giving makers the ability to engrave, cut and build with small, inexpensive machines. Such devices as the Qbo X can quickly cut through wood, leather, and metal, adding the level of precision of industry to students and hobbyists. With the 3D printing and CNC industry poised to reach over 30 billion by 2026 and the desktop CNC machines increasing by almost 7% every year, fabrication tools will be stapled products to designers and creators by 2026.

Maker economy The maker economy is being enabled by the use of portable CNC robots, which have allowed the creation of precise engraving, cutting, and building using small and relatively inexpensive robots. Machines such as the Qbo X enable hobbyists and professionals to handle wood, leather, and metal with the accuracy of industry level, making it suitable to do their day-to-day projects. 

• Qbo X CNC Robot

• Snapmaker 2.0

• Ortur Laser Master

• Creality Falcon

• Ender 3 V3 SE

These 3D printers and portable CNC robots are now becoming crucial tools of designers, creators and makers, and are useful in building a new generation of personalised manufacturing.

Gesture control bands making screens optional

Sensation of touch without screens will become a normal practice when gesture-controlling bands will track minute movements of the wrist and fingers. The EMG armband of Meta can scan the neural signal and navigate the cursors or use AR interfaces, whereas the Mudra Band enables Apple Watch users to make their way hands-free. Gesture bands with AR glasses becoming more popular will serve as the tipping point between physical interaction and digital interaction, allowing devices to be controlled in a fast and natural way by 2026.

Gesture control bands are rendering screens unnecessary in that they enable a user to interact with devices by moving their wrists and fingers. These bands follow neural gestures and signals to control cursors or AR interfaces, which allows hands-free control. Examples for daily use:

• Meta EMG Armband

• Mudra Band

• Myo Armband

• Ultraleap Leap Motion

• CTRL-Labs Band

These gesture control strips are changing the way we have dealt with technology and physical screens need not be so critical in performing digital work.

Smart projectors becoming everyday displays

Projectors are not only descendants of entertainment, but also daily computing. Even small screens can now be supported using a short-throw and portable version of brands such as Epson and Roku with very short distances and even 4K input. The smart projector market is also projected to reach $3.1 billion in 2024 and triple that in 2033, in which there would be a movement towards versatile space-saving screens that could replace TVs by 2026.

Projectors have been changing and are no longer necessary as a means to have fun, but short-throw, tiny models with small screens are starting to become necessary for day-to-day computing as well as 4K input. Pocket-sized projectors of such brands as Epson and Roku allow making versatile displays, which occupy less space than the traditional TVs and monitors. Examples for daily use:

• Epson EF-100

• Roku Projector

• Anker Nebula Capsule

• XGIMI MoGo

• LG CineBeam

Large, flexible screens are allowing one to work, study and even relax anywhere with these smart projectors.

Real-time language translators breaking communication barriers

Live translation and earbuds and glasses are in the near future. Devices that convert speech in real time, changing the accent and the noise of the surrounding environment, are under testing in Google, Meta, and Apple. Real-time translation is something that Apple has been alluding to in its future AirPods, and multilingual support is being added to AR glasses by Meta and Snap. With the growth of global travel and remote staff, the use of translators in real-time can become as widespread as wireless earbuds by 2026.

The language translators in real time are eliminating the barriers to communication through earbuds and glasses that translate speech instantly, adjust to accents and block noise. The most popular technology giants are developing these devices and they are going to be as ubiquitous as wireless earbuds. Examples for daily use:

• Google Pixel Buds Pro

• Apple AirPods (translation version in the future)

• Meta Ray-Ban Meta Glasses

• Snap AR Glasses (translation feature)

• Waverly Labs Pilot Earbuds

These real time translators enable smooth multilingual communication in terms of travelling, working and everyday life.

Autonomous delivery robots entering daily use

Drones transporting deliveries leave the test stage and are becoming a reality. GrubHub collaborated with aRide to deploy curb-climbing robots in several US campuses in 2025, and Just Eat has been testing curb-climbing units in Zurich. Abu Dhabi has gone to the extent of licensing fully driverless fleets of delivery. The robot delivery market will increase by 2025 up to 728 million dollars to reach 3.8 billion dollars in 2032, meaning that by 2026, AI-powered delivery bots will be considered normal.

The introduction of autonomous delivery robots is appearing every day, and it is making the delivery process quicker and more comfortable. These are AI-based bots capable of transporting the food, packages, and others, and several companies are already present in urban and campus settings. Examples for daily needs:

• Nuro Delivery Robots

• Robots of Starship Technologies.

• Zipline Drones

• Serve Robotics Bots

• Ottonomy.IO Ottobot

• DoorDash Dot

• Grubhub/AVRide Robots

• JD Logistics Robots

These delivery robots are changing the way we get our deliveries and they provide contactless and efficient service at the comfort of our doors.

AI-driven home assistants becoming proactive

Home assistants are no longer focusing on commands, but rather becoming active household managers. Amazon is also extending generative AI to Alexa, doing so such that it can anticipate user demands, whereas Google is putting Gemini models in Nest gadgets to do intelligence on the device. Such assistants will also turn on the thermostats when a storm is approaching instead of giving orders, remind people about their bills and automate common home routines. Home AI will be equivalent to a digital house helper by 2026.

Smart assistants in the home are becoming proactive and are able to predict needs and automate processes without necessarily being ordered around. Devices such as Amazon Alexa that uses generative AI, and Google Nest that uses Gemini can become intelligent house managers, able to change thermostats, remind about bills, and have an automated daily routine. Examples for daily use:

• Amazon Alexa (generative AI)

• Google Nest (Gemini models)

• HomePod(with Siri upgrades) by Apple.

• Samsung SmartThings

• LG ThinQ

Such AI assistants are evolving into digital assistants which are turning houses smarter and efficient.

Smart poles and IoT infrastructure upgrading cities

Smart poles, or streetlights, equipped with an IoT will make cities in 2026 smarter and efficient, as they will monitor air quality, have 5G antennas, automatically adjust their lighting, and could even charge electric vehicles. EV-charging poles are being tested in Los Angeles, and are used in Singapore to monitor pollution. Having smart infrastructure in the world is estimated to surpass 400 billion dollars by 2030; the systems will save energy and make cities smarter in controlling congestion.

The urban cities are being modernised with smart poles and IoT infrastructure which incorporates streetlights, sensors, 5G antennas and environmental monitoring. These poles may regulate light, charge electric cars and keep track of the air quality, which will make urban areas more efficient and sustainable. Examples for daily needs:

• K-Lite Smart City Poles

• Comba Telecom Smart Poles

• inteliLIGHT Streetlights Smart.

• Tvilight Smart Poles

• ALLTOP Smart Streetlight Poles.

These intelligent poles are becoming a necessity in the contemporary cities as they can help in saving energy, congestion and better urban services.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.