NNA - A finger-nibbling plush cat and a cooling fan for the ever-present anti-Covid mask: the CES tech show in Las Vegas on Monday offered a glimpse of the offerings at this year's meet-up.

CES, one of the world's largest trade fairs, is pushing ahead with an in-person edition after being online-only last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Entrepreneur Eric Fouchard got tired of feeling hot and stuffy under his anti-Covid mask, so he came up with a tiny ventilation system that can be mounted under a face covering.

The fan is held in place with a magnet assembly and is powered by a small rechargeable battery held in a strap that passes over the back of a user's neck.

"The first way to use it is when you are on a plane or a train," he told AFP. "The second one is when you are working and you need to remove the mist on your glasses."

"The filtration of the mask stays the same," Fouchard, a Frenchman, said of his Aeronest system.

The Japanese phrase amagami translates roughly to "sweet biting" in English.

"We find it very comfortable and we want to bring it to the world," Japanese entrepreneur Shunsuke Aoki said.

He transformed that impulse into a small, battery-powered plush creature that nibbles gently on your finger.

Aoki said young dogs or cats will harmlessly do the same thing, which is a source of comfort for people -- noting that he likes to let the device nibble his finger while driving.

"In a Covid situation, with people staying home every day, it gives you very good comfort," he added.—AFP

=============R.H.