New frontiers in robotics at CES 2026

The Shopper Electronics Present (CES) is one of the most important commerce occasions on the planet. Yearly, hundreds of firms showcase their state-of-the-art applied sciences to over 100k attendees.  It brings collectively international business leaders, startups, and media, and is used to launch merchandise and sign future tech tendencies.  

Henry Hickson, a Analysis Affiliate on the Hauert Lab, attended CES 2026. On this article he reviews on the highlights of the present, exploring how bodily AI is transferring from experimental labs into shopper expertise, and what this shift reveals about the way forward for robotics, autonomy, and real-world deployment. 

 All photographs and movies on this article are credited to Henry Hickson.

CES 2026: Shopper Electronics Meets Bodily AI 

It doesn’t take lengthy after touchdown in Las Vegas to see the indicators of CES 2026. Inside minutes, gleaming LED screens announce the present’s presence, and people ubiquitous two letters: AI. One flavour of AI dominated the present, from Jensen Huang’s keynote speech to even the smallest cubicles on the present ground: bodily AI. 

Whereas I went there in search of robotics, the phrase ‘bodily AI’ was reaching the ears of even essentially the most informal customer. Manufacturers greatest recognized for televisions, laptops, and residential home equipment have been speaking confidently about embodied intelligence. At CES 2026, bodily AI – in apply, robots – was not area of interest.  

As a first-time CES attendee, the sheer scale of the occasion was overwhelming. Even with ruthless effectivity, it will have been inconceivable to talk to each robotics exhibitor on the Vegas mega-show. What follows, then, shouldn’t be a complete survey, however a set of themes that emerged repeatedly over the week – strengthened by both repetition or hype surrounding the reveals. Collectively, they provide a snapshot of the place consumer-facing robotics stands in the present day, and the place it seems to be heading subsequent. 

A fast caveat for seasoned roboticists: this shopper area is a far-cry from our every day interactions with lab-based robotics. A lot of what’s on show shouldn’t be state-of-the-art by educational requirements – however it’s modern in a totally different manner, formed by shopper expectations and manufacturability. 

Outdoors CES on the Las Vegas Conference Middle. 

Theme 1: Humanoids 

It might be inconceivable to function robotics at CES and never count on a wave of the largest pattern in current robotics historical past: the rise of the humanoid.   What as soon as felt like a sci-fi dream is now a critical business and analysis focus, attracting intense curiosity from buyers, firms, and the general public. In some circles, the talk is whether or not humanoids are obligatory in any respect, given the effectivity of different kinds. At CES, nonetheless, they have been presumably the most widespread and mentioned illustration of bodily AI.   

The vary on show was huge. Booster showcased child-sized humanoids which ship an training program on robotics. These have been lined up in what resembled a classroom and have been available for purchase then and there – many of the classroom robots had daring pink ‘SOLD’ indicators hooked up. One Booster would set you again $10k. 

Booster’s silicon class-bots wave in unison. 

Unitree drew crowds with a continuous present of boxing, dancing, and acrobatics. Whereas missing in real-world software and nonetheless largely distant managed, their fast progress in movement functionality is spectacular. Unitree has achieved this with improved actuators and reinforcement studying. Their staff acknowledged that they added instabilities to their simulations, which makes the system extra adaptable and provides confidence that every trick will run easily throughout demos.  These boxing bots retail for $6k+ and are customisable for person wants.  

Beijing-based Galaxea Dynamics are focusing on analysis labs with a high-precision platform for basis mannequin growth. Starting with a easy robotic arm with a digicam and pincer gripper, they now provide a humanoid with inbuilt peak adjustment for $70k. As well as, they’re growing an open-source VLA as a place to begin for customers growing their very own, task-specific setups. The result’s an out-the field VLA system, lowering the barrier to entry for universities or R&D firms to develop their very own twin armed VLA methods.  Galaxea are proving particularly common with US establishments.  

Galaxea Dynamics’ humanoid with pincer grippers.

House robots have been some of the common classes at CES. SwitchBot introduced H1, a wheeled humanoid with arms that slide up and down. At this stage it’s probably turning into clear that the definition of a humanoid is turning into considerably blurry – apart from the pleasant face and human-dimensioned arms, the H1 isn’t precisely a human type.  Skilled by observing people finishing family duties, the H1 has to this point mastered tidying round the home and loading the washer – if nonetheless at a slower tempo than a human.  Launch dates are unsure, however the firm is aiming to undercut the competitors by reaching a $10k value level. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how this develops.  

SwitchBot’s H1 Humanoid, able to do your chores (very slowly).

The GR-3 humanoid by Shanghai-based Fourier caught my eye – its turtle-neck styled torso, emotive LED eyes and automotive-upholstered gentle pores and skin makes for a standout aesthetic. Its dextrous fingers have been proven off in shut interactions with guests by way of tic-tac-toe video games, the place it by no means misplaced. I used to be glad to drag off a tie. The rationale for these shut interactions is that GR-3 is focused for healthcare suppliers, for social interplay and bodily duties round care houses and hospitals. Retailing at $100k, the first prospects are nonetheless analysis labs. 

Fourier’s tic-tac-toe enjoying humanoid, GR3. 

An sudden growth for a lot of was the doorway of huge shopper manufacturers into the humanoid area. LG’s CLOiD, built-in with its sensible dwelling ecosystem, embodied the concept of a “zero-labour dwelling.” The CLOiD is a wheeled humanoid with a pleasant LED face. Considerably tentative in its actions, it was capable of retrieve gadgets from the fridge and fold a towel. That is nonetheless very a lot in growth, however watch this area. 

LG’s wheeled humanoid, CLOiD.

Paxini’s choices sit precisely within the common intersection between humanoid and wheeled robots, with an adjustable wheeled base, a floating torso adjustable up and down by rotating joints, and a humanoid higher physique. Utilising VTLA fashions, they’re focused to maneuver crates in warehouses or components on manufacturing facility flooring, with a number of models already deployed.  

GalBot introduced one other wheeled, VLA-focused platform, with demonstrations of crate stacking in a warehouse-style setting and customer support duties in a mini comfort retailer setup. The platform options an adjustable torso with hooked up arms and head. The corporate has invested closely in VLA growth for manipulation, navigation, following, and dancing. They highlighted the problem of tuning fashions for every platform, once more pointing to knowledge assortment as a key bottleneck. Regardless of this, the staff is pushing towards near-term deployment. 

The aptly named firm Humanoid, representing the UK contingent of roboticists, showcased a deployment-focused wheeled system within the type of the HMND 01 Alpha Wheeled platform. The big rectangular industrial base clearly indicators a platform designed for real-world manufacturing facility work fairly than show-floor demos. This focus was strengthened by Humanoid’s lately introduced partnership with Schaeffler, with whom they have been exhibiting at CES. A clean demo confirmed the height-variable robotic transferring metallic rings between bins. Whereas near-term efforts are firmly industrial, the staff acknowledged {that a} legged model higher suited to dwelling environments stays a part of their longer-term roadmap. 

Schaeffler’s second humanoid associate at CES, Agility Robotics, can be centered on production-ready methods for the manufacturing facility ground – this time, with a totally legged platform. Their distinctive backward-knee design has been beneath growth for a few years, and the full-height robotic on present was clearly constructed for industrial environments, with uncovered metallic buildings and onerous casing. Agility has no plans to enter shopper dwelling robotics.  

Agility’s humanoid. 

Maybe most notable at CES was Boston Dynamic’s Atlas humanoid. It noticed 4-5 row deep crowds for the whole present, in addition to hitting international headlines. Atlas has been in growth for over a decade and has turn into broadly recognized by way of movies brazenly displaying each successes and failures. The most recent model was unveiled through the opening day. It carried out an agile sequence of crouching, sweeping, and pointing motions. For the remainder of the present, it carried out common pick-and-place demonstrations in a mock manufacturing facility setting. The staff brazenly mentioned present limitations, noting that a lot of the system was teleoperated through the present, highlighting that the software program stack remains to be beneath growth. 

Standing 1.9 metres tall with a lifting capability of fifty kg, it’s designed for heavy-duty work. Hyundai plans to focus manufacturing capability on inner deployments by way of 2026, with broader manufacturing prospects anticipated later. Lengthy-term plans embody scaling manufacturing to tens of hundreds of models per 12 months, signalling what could also be one of many first large-scale deployments of humanoid robots with actual industrial worth. 

The headline-grabbing Atlas humanoid demonstrates its spectacular vary of mobility.

Theme 2: Companion Robots 

Being shopper centered, it is maybe unsurprising {that a} standout theme was so shopper oriented, however I used to be stunned by the sheer variety of newly launched robots on this area. The energy of this theme lies in human–robotic interplay, and in how shopper expertise is being reshaped by robotics and AI. 

One instance was Loona, constructed by Beijing-based KEYi Tech. This pint-sized, four-wheeled robotic pet was surprisingly insistent, figuring out potential playmates by way of an onboard digicam and bumping clumsily into their ft to ask for consideration. Designed for all ages, the staff reported sturdy curiosity from adults shopping for Loona as firm for aged mother and father. With some life-like qualities, Loona manages to evoke a few of the emotional response of a family pet. 

Loona’s cute robotic pet.

KEYi additionally previewed a desktop robotic idea that integrates with a smartphone, which supplies entry to cloud instruments like ChatGPT and acts as a display screen for expressive robotic eyes. Positioned as an assistant, the demo confirmed agentic capabilities, comparable to reserving conferences and analysing screenshots. Its long-term usefulness stays unclear, however the slick interface was enjoyable to work together with. 

Subsequent up was an unreleased robotic pet from OlloBot – two-wheeled, dog-sized robotic pets with tablet-based faces that jogged my memory of Sid the Sloth from Ice Age. These child-friendly bots had ChatGPT integration in addition to digicam modes and studying applications. 

Ollobots – your little one’s new playmate or favorite toy?

Fourier introduced a small, customisable desktop robotic with huge digital eyes and head monitoring that gave an eerie, Labubu-esque aesthetic. 

Fourier’s cute desktop robotic is watching you. 

Ludens AI provided INU, a fluffy desk robotic. Marketed as a ‘desktop alien’, INU has come to Earth to remind customers to take breaks and never work too onerous. How may you say no to that? Alongside the lovable rocking actions and occasional squeak, it was onerous to not really feel some attachment to this little robotic being.    

The INU desktop alien robots waving hey. 

Rounding out the class was Sentigent’s DuoRover, a rugged, follow-me robotic for outside adventures. Utilizing a two-wheeled balancing design and vision-based following, it’s supposed to offer dialog, photographs, and video recording on household outings. 

Companion robotics is clearly a quickly rising area. The open query is longevity: will these robots stay companions, or be relegated to individuals’s cabinets as soon as the novelty wears off? Firms are betting that continuous function growth, fuelled by LLMs, will assist them endure – however solely time will inform. 

Theme 3: Activity-Pushed, Non-Humanoid Robotics  

Whereas much less prevalent at a consumer-focused present like CES, task-driven robots nonetheless made a powerful impression. Usually discovered at commerce exhibits, these extra business centered robots are used for warehouse / manufacturing facility automation, or in hospitality. Nonetheless, there was an attention-grabbing sprinkling at CES too and a few nice improvements on this area. 

Probably the most notable examples was from the Hyundai Motor Group, whose acquisition of Boston Dynamics made them some of the common exhibitors. Their MobED robotic is a modular wheeled platform with 4 independently managed wheels that may carry out tight manoeuvres and may traverse assorted terrain while sustaining a wonderfully stage loading mattress.   The modular method means this can be utilized for a wide range of makes use of circumstances, from supply carts to ride-on automobiles. What stood out most was the construct high quality, which felt extra akin to a luxurious automotive than a typical robotics module. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how this does towards its decrease value competitors – is there an urge for food for luxurious robotics platforms but? 

Hyundai’s 4-wheeled modular platforms greet the group by waving their wheels. 

On the different finish of the spectrum was Nexus Patio Tech from Bolivia, showcasing supply robots designed for simplicity and fast route-to-market. With 20+ robots already operating on Bolivian streets, and lots of extra in malls and eating places, it was nice to see a deployment first method – though this will likely partly be due to a distinct regulatory panorama. 

China’s Neolix demonstrated logistics at scale, with over 15,000 autonomous automobiles deployed throughout three sizes. By focusing completely on logistics, the staff has simplified decision-making and accelerated deployment. For instance, if there’s a alternative between crashing right into a wall or a pedestrian, in logistics solely you all the time select the wall, as there is no such thing as a passenger onboard to account for. This makes for a novel method in comparison with a few of the different, albeit extremely subtle choices on present at CES, comparable to passenger centered Waymo, Zoox, and NVIDIA. Pilots in Portugal are scheduled for the primary half of 2026, which is a promising step – with the ability to comply with stringent EU laws would unlock deployments in a number of different areas. 

Neolix’s autonomous robotic. 

Building logistics have been addressed by Gole Robotics from South Korea, who’re tackling point-to-point materials transport on development websites – a use case to this point comparatively untouched by autonomous robotics because of its complexity. Their giant material-carrying robotic is designed to maneuver pallets in a single day in residence buildings, permitting human staff to give attention to expert labour through the day. Right here, the innovation lies as a lot within the redesigned workflow as within the robotic itself. 

Lastly, USX Robotics showcased a modular indoor supply platform for resorts and occasions, notable for having been developed from idea to production-ready system in simply over a 12 months. 

This was not the one robotic to be market-ready in lightning-fast time. With the provision of reasonably priced and particular robotics centered parts, open-source baseline libraries and simpler entry to manufacturing providers from overseas, each the associated fee and complexity of constructing a brand new robotic system appears to be reducing, enabling a bunch of new gamers into the business. This raises attention-grabbing questions on how the market will evolve sooner or later. Differentiation could more and more lie in figuring out the appropriate use circumstances and routes to market. 

Abstract 

CES 2026 confirmed that humanoid and embodied AI methods nonetheless have an extended strategy to go earlier than delivering real-world worth, notably in houses. On the identical time, there’s a rising sense that the trail to deployment is turning into clearer. A consensus has emerged throughout platforms:  multi-camera notion, usually wrist-mounted, paired with VLA fashions, is ample for many duties. More and more, tactile fingers and VTLA software program are added. 

There was a transparent cut up between industrial and home-care humanoids. Probably the most convincing choices with essentially the most deployments have been in business, with the agency favorite being logistics duties within the manufacturing sector.  With extremely developed platforms like Atlas main the cost, this industrial humanoid push feels nearer than ever. One other common pattern right here was reaching the market by way of business, adopted by a longer-term aim of reaching individuals’s houses in some unspecified timeframe. It was generally onerous to inform whether or not that home-ready aim is real or to please the likes of buyers and the excitable common public. 

One attention-grabbing query for me is functionality – at what level is a humanoid thought-about helpful sufficient for the time-constrained shopper to purchase it, not only for an early adopter? At the moment, these platforms really feel too gradual to be helpful sufficient for the common purchaser. As growth continues, I hope we start to see extra adaptive methods that present real worth.  

What has modified is momentum. A spark of pleasure has captured the creativeness of so many at CES, now that what as soon as appeared inconceivable is on the market, proper in entrance of you.  With higher entry to compute, the event of basis fashions like VLAS and VTLAs, a roadmap is rising. The race now could be for knowledge, knowledge, and extra knowledge –it’ll be an interesting one to comply with over the approaching years. I left CES with the sense that the longer term is occurring now.