The Best Tech Of IFA 2026: 10 Groundbreaking Devices To Watch Out For

Introduction

Do you remember Inspector Gadget? Did you see the animated series that first aired in the 1980s or the 1999-released live-action movie featuring Matthew Broderick (of Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Godzilla fame)?

Either way, do you remember how cool Inspector Gadget was? No matter the situation, this bionic man possessed the right tool, literally. In the movie, he was originally a fully human security guard, until an accident saw him become the base of an experiment that fitted him with 14,000 gadgets.

These wonderfully innovative gadgets were extremely unique and brilliantly majestic, always leaving viewers awestruck. A personal favorite was the hat that sprouted rotor wings and a handlebar, turning the inspector into a (half) human helicopter.

While we're quite a few years away from such amazing gadgets in the real world, we did have some spectacular ones unveiled at IFA 2026, held from September 4-8 in Berlin.

Dive in and explore the top 10 groundbreaking devices we found at the event.
 

The Best Tech Of IFA 2026: 10 Groundbreaking Devices To Watch Out For

IFA's roots go back to 1924, when it began as a radio exhibition. Its initials historically came from Internationale Funkausstellung, although IFA today primarily associates them with its "Innovation For All" identity.

The annual Berlin event has since grown into one of the world's biggest showcases for consumer electronics, home appliances, and future technology. That means people visit expecting to see what could be coming next in consumer technology, and this year's IFA Berlin gadgets announcements did not disappoint.

From wearable technology and mobile devices to smart home technology, audio and visual technology, and AI-powered products, there were plenty of amazing tech products at IFA 2026.

So, if you're looking for the best tech at IFA 2026, here's our best of IFA 2026 selection. Remember, these aren't ranked from best to worst; like Inspector Gadget's arsenal, each brings its own special trick.
 

Philips Hue Liane 360° Rope Light

A light strip normally stays hidden behind a TV, cabinet, or desk. Philips Hue's Liane 360° Rope Light wants to become part of the room itself.

The flexible smart light produces illumination around its entire surface rather than only pointing light in one direction. Hue's OmniGlow technology creates a smooth line of light without obvious individual LEDs, while users can shape the rope along walls, ceilings, and other architectural features.

It supports white and colored lighting and can be controlled through the Hue app. In the US, the 3-meter version costs $399.99, while the 5-meter model costs $529.99. Both are already listed as available.

 

• Price: From $399.99

• Availability: Europe, UK, US, and Canada

• Standout Feature: Flexible 360-degree OmniGlow lighting with smooth, uniform illumination

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A glowing rope you can bend around your room like a futuristic decorating tool

From something that bends around your walls, let's move to something you actually strap onto yourself.
 

Hypershell X Ultra S

If Inspector Gadget needed extra power in his legs, the Hypershell X Ultra S would probably do the job.

This consumer exoskeleton is designed to assist people while hiking, climbing, walking, cycling, and tackling difficult terrain. Its HyperIntuition AI responds to movement in real time, while the Ultra S offers up to 1,000W of assistance and 12 intelligent modes covering activities such as stairs, running, gravel, dunes, and snow.

Hypershell says the device can deliver up to 30 kilometers, around 18.6 miles, of range on a battery depending on conditions. Importantly, it is positioned as a lifestyle mobility product rather than a medical device.

 

• Price: $1,999

• Availability: US and Europe

• Standout Feature: AI-assisted movement with up to 1,000W of power

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A wearable exoskeleton that gives your legs some mechanical backup

Our next gadget moves from helping your legs to examining what's hiding between your teeth.
 

Dyson CameraJet

Yes, Dyson put a camera inside a toothbrush. This has been doing the rounds on social media.

The Dyson CameraJet combines sonic brushing, liquid flossing, a tiny intraoral camera, and an AI machine-learning system. Its Gap Optical Targeting system analyzes 28 images every second to identify gaps between teeth and automatically fires a targeted liquid jet into them.

The camera can also send a live view to the MyDyson app, while onboard sensors monitor brushing technique. Dyson says images viewed during brushing aren't stored or uploaded to the cloud. The device also has a replaceable battery, IPX7 water resistance, and three brushing intensity settings.

 

• Price: $499.99

• Availability: In supported Dyson markets

• Standout Feature: AI-powered camera identifies gaps and automatically targets them with a liquid jet

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A toothbrush that can literally see where it needs to clean

Inspector Gadget always seemed to have more equipment than should physically fit in one place. Lenovo apparently understands the idea.
 

Lenovo ThinkBook Project Swan

Project Swan starts as a fairly normal-looking 14-inch ThinkBook. Then its OLED display expands sideways until it becomes a 17-inch 16:9 screen.

Lenovo developed the proof of concept for people who want portability without giving up a larger workspace. At 17.9mm thick and around 1.6kg, it remains relatively portable while closed, but the rollable screen creates extra room for side-by-side documents, presentations, dashboards, and creative work when needed.

Unlike Lenovo's earlier vertically expanding rollable designs, Swan grows horizontally, making the transformation feel more like turning a small laptop into a larger conventional one.

 

• Price: Not announced

• Availability: Proof of concept with no confirmed consumer release

• Standout Feature: OLED display expands horizontally from 14 inches to 17 inches

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A laptop that physically grows a bigger screen when you need more workspace

Speaking of making more fit into one machine, iRobot apparently decided one robot was no longer enough.
 

iRobot Roomba Duo

IRobot's Roomba Duo sounds almost like a joke until you see what it does: it's a robot vacuum that carries another robot vacuum.

The larger unit handles open areas by vacuuming, steam-treating, and scrubbing floors, while a top-mounted mechanical arm can lower an ultra-compact companion robot into spaces it cannot reach. The two share a home map and use AI to coordinate their cleaning. Both feature ClearView Pro dual-line LiDAR and PrecisionVision AI for navigation and obstacle detection, while the main robot adds top-mounted AI cameras for a wider view of its surroundings.

The smaller companion, demonstrated using iRobot's Roomba Plus 575 Combo, stands just 8.35cm tall and can reach under low furniture and into tighter corners. A shared AutoWash dock handles mop washing and drying, wastewater, and automatic dust emptying.

 

• Price: Not announced

• Availability: Prototype concept with no confirmed consumer release date

• Standout Feature: The main cleaning robot can physically carry and deploy a smaller companion robot

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A robot that literally carries another robot for backup

That's difficult to top for gadget absurdity, but Plaud's next trick is much less visible and potentially much more useful.
 

Plaud One

Plaud One may be the most practical AI gadget announced at IFA 2026.

The wearable earbuds and charging case can capture in-person conversations, phone calls, and online meetings, then use Plaud Intelligence to generate notes, summaries, answers, and follow-up material. Its built-in eSIM and 4G LTE capability allows some processing without requiring a phone nearby.

Plaud's developing agent features can also work with connected tools to draft follow-ups, create documents, and support actions based on previous conversations. The Limited Explorer Edition is capped at 2,000 units worldwide and includes $200 in Plaud credits.

 

• Price: $249.99

• Availability: US, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Canada, and the Netherlands; currently in waitlist after the initial presale has ended

• Standout Feature: Turns conversations into context, summaries, and AI-assisted follow-up actions

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A pocket AI sidekick that listens, remembers, organizes, and helps with what comes next

If remembering everything isn't enough, our next gadget gives your eyes a giant screen wherever you go.
 

RayNeo GT Max

The RayNeo GT Max turns a pair of glasses into a personal cinema.

Its tandem micro-OLED displays provide a 59-degree field of view, with virtual screen settings reaching up to 307 inches depending on the viewing mode. The glasses support a 120Hz refresh rate, reach a claimed perceived brightness of 1,200 nits, and include audio tuned with Bang & Olufsen.

When paired with RayNeo's Pocket TV Pro, the system also supports Dolby Vision. RayNeo offers the GT Max in three interpupillary-distance sizes to improve fit, while smartphones, PCs, Macs, and compatible gaming hardware can supply the content.

 

• Price: $429 regular price, with a $399 launch offer listed at publication

• Availability: US, UK, Europe, and more

• Standout Feature: Up to a 307-inch virtual display inside wearable AR glasses

• Inspector Gadget Factor: Glasses that can put a cinema-sized screen right in front of your eyes

Inspector Gadget's body was full of detachable tools. RugOne gives your phone one.
 

RugOne Xsnap 7 Pro

Most smartphone cameras stay attached to the smartphone. The RugOne Xsnap 7 Pro's rear camera can pop off and keep recording on its own.

The detachable module functions as an action camera with a 133-degree ultrawide lens, stabilization, 64GB of storage, and video recording at up to 2.7K at 30fps. It can operate independently for around 40 minutes before being docked back onto the phone for charging, while the handset's huge 9,300mAh battery can repeatedly recharge it.

The rugged phone also has IP68 and IP69K protection, a 120Hz AMOLED display, and a separate infrared night-vision camera.

 

• Price: $999 global retail price

• Availability: Kickstarter launched September 7, with global retail availability scheduled for October 2026

• Standout Feature: Rear camera detaches and works as an independent action camera

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A phone whose camera pops off and becomes its own adventure gadget

A detachable camera is handy. A vehicle that can take you somewhere by itself is another level.
 

Strutt ev1c

Strutt's ev1c brings technologies associated with autonomous cars and robot vacuums into personal mobility.

Its evSense system combines LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and time-of-flight sensors to build a picture of its surroundings and help avoid people, pets, objects, and edges. Users can select destinations on its display or use voice commands such as asking the ev1c to take them to another room.

Its Quad-Drive System adds independent suspension, active steering, ABS, and electronic stability technology, while the vehicle can manage slopes of up to 13 degrees.

 

• Price: Around $7,250 before tax on Strutt's US-facing store

• Availability: US Shipping started; rollout and delivery underway/planned across the UK, EU, and more.

• Standout Feature: Sensor-powered navigation and collision avoidance for personal mobility

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A mobility chair that can understand its surroundings and navigate toward a destination

Now, what if Gadget wanted a giant screen but didn't want to carry a giant projector?
 

Aurzen ZIP Pro

The Aurzen ZIP Pro takes the folding-gadget idea quite literally.

Its three-part body folds into a compact package measuring roughly 4.5 x 3.8 x 1.7 inches, but opens into a self-supporting Full HD projector that doesn't require a separate stand. The 1080p DLP system produces up to 200 ANSI lumens and can project an image as large as 115 inches. It also includes autofocus, four-point keystone correction, USB-C video input, wireless casting, dual speakers, and a built-in battery rated for up to 2.5 hours in Eco Mode.

 

• Price: $629.99 regular price, with a $579.99 preorder price listed at publication

• Availability: Preorders open in the US, EU, and UK, with shipping expected from October 30

• Standout Feature: Full HD projector built into a self-supporting tri-fold body

• Inspector Gadget Factor: A projector that folds down into something resembling pocket-sized spy equipment

Those are our best tech gadgets announced at IFA 2026, but there's one more device worth squeezing into Gadget's collection.

These devices are enough to get Inspector Gadget jealous of missing out!
   

Conclusion

IFA 2026 showed that groundbreaking technology doesn't always need to reinvent an entire industry. Sometimes, it simply gives an everyday object a trick you didn't expect. From expandable laptops and detachable phone cameras to AI toothbrushes, exoskeletons, and robots carrying robots, this year's standouts felt wonderfully Gadget-like. The biggest question now is which of these clever ideas will become normal technology before the next IFA arrives.