High-tech relief for the incontinent is offered by D-Free, a sensor which fits on the abdomen and detects changes in bladder size, calculating how full it is and giving a prediction via a smartphone about when the user will need to urinate

Europe’s biggest tech fair, Berlin’s IFA, is showcasing a flood of product launches until Wednesday. Of the thousands of items showcased, headsets and wireless stereos, which will make for popular Christmas gifts, are expected to be hot selling.

Also ringing the cash register is Huawei’s new super-fast Kirin 990 processor, the first and only all-in-one 5G chipset that is no bigger than a fingernail and includes a modem with fast download speeds. Samsung has the 5G Fold, a phone which folds out into a single screen.

Other special gadgets seen making waves are a fitness trainer for pets, voice-command ovens and a bladder sensor.

California startup Varram showcased a Pet Fitness robot, which plays with cats and dogs at home via smartphone instructions, even dropping treats as a reward, while the owner is at work.

Sensors in the robot help it detect and stay away from furniture to not get stuck, avoiding bored pets. The robot can be timed to play with the family pet at different times and keep track of how much activity the animal has had.

Siemens claimed two world firsts with an oven that opens on voice command and separate washing machine and clothes drier that communicate via WiFi to predict how long garments will need to dry.

High-tech relief for the incontinent is offered by D-Free, a sensor which fits on the abdomen and detects changes in bladder size, calculating how full it is and giving a prediction via a smartphone about when the user will need to urinate.

The system is aimed at young children being toilet trained and the elderly worried about being caught short.

It keeps track of the average time between bathroom visits and a version for senior care homes tells staff which patients will soon need to visit the toilet.