Cool, a little bizarre, and in some cases smack dab in the uncanny valley, more robots are on the way.
Techies in Las Vegas just got their best look yet at the robots various companies are building, thanks to the annual Consumer Electronics Show, one of the world's largest tech trade shows that wrapped up last week.
The robots offer a glimpse into how companies and startups are looking to bring tech like AI and autonomy into people's homes. The variety of designs also highlights the question of what kind of aesthetic potential buyers might gravitate toward.
Do you design a "cute" robot? Something that's strictly functional? Or do you aim for realism and risk some shoppers finding the design too lifelike or creepy?
We looked through the robots shown off at CES this year and rounded up those that stood out, either for their potential usefulness or eye-catching design.
A $175,000 companion robot with 'relationship-based AI'
If you're looking for companies going the "Bladerunner" route and targeting realism, look no further than Realbotix's human-like robots.
Realbotix offers robots designed to look like humans in three options: A bust starting at $10,000; a modular robot for $150,000; and a full-body version for $175,000.
The company boasts it can "replicate any human face with 14+ moveable points to create multiple life-like expressions," and that its robots' bodies can be customized. Comedian Whitney Cummings has previously talked onstage about her own lookalike robot from Realbotix.
If you're thinking some people will use the robots as an AI girlfriend or boyfriend, the robots appear to be leaning into the idea by advertising "relationship-based AI." A Realbotix robot named Aria said in a demo at CES that the robots are "designed specifically for companionship and intimacy."
The bot can have conversations thanks to AI and its eyes have cameras to identify who it's talking to.
An AI bot with kids in mind
One of the cutest robots to come out of CES this year is TV-maker TCL's Ai me (sounds like "Amy.")
It's definitely designed with children in mind, with big doe eyes that can blink, a childlike voice, wings that can flap, and interchangeable outfits. It sits in a cradle of sorts that gets around on wheels, but it can also be removed.
However, Ai me also has features that can appeal to adults, including integrations with smart home devices and your car, and AI image recognition to identify things it's shown.
The company says it's the "world's first modular AI companion robot." Ai me is just a concept for now, with no guarantee it'll ever come to market.
A robot vacuum with an arm
On the utilitarian side of the spectrum, robot vacuums also showed off some upgrades.
The Saros Z70 from Roborock uses AI to analyze its environment and has a foldable arm that can extend to move objects out of the way so it can clean your home and pick up light items like socks or small towels.
It's expected to hit the market in the first half of this year.
A robovac with legs
Robovacs aren't just getting arms. The X50 Ultra robot vacuum from Dreame has "legs."
The robot vacuum climbed a small ledge in a demo at CES, after a few hiccups at first. (It's still a long way from, say, climbing stairs in your home.)
It's available for preorder now, and launches February 14 at $1,699.99.
Samsung's Ballie is back
This isn't Ballie's first CES rodeo, but Samsung says it'll finally become available to consumers some time this year.
The ball-shaped robot, which Samsung brands as an AI companion robot for the home, gets around on wheels and first debuted at CES in 2020.
Samsung says Ballie's AI-powered abilities include answering phone calls, projecting movies onto your wall, and sending videos of what your pets are up to while you're away from home.
A fluffy bird-like robot
Think of Yukai Engineering's Mirumi as a robot version of a pom pom purse charm.
The fluffy robot accessory resembles a bird and can latch onto your arm or a handbag and interact with its surroundings.
When someone enters its field of vision, it shyly hides its face, for example.
Yukai Engineering says crowdfunding will start this fall for Mirumi.
Tesla and others are readying their own robots
Beyond those showcased at CES, other robots are in development at major tech companies.
Apple is rumored to be working on home robots. Amazon has its $1,600 Astro robot, which is still invite-only. And Tesla's Elon Musk wants to eventually launch humanoid robot Optimus to consumers in the coming years.
Whether or not shoppers are willing to splurge hundreds, and in many cases, thousands on an in-home robot is another question.
And while Nvidia didn't show off a robot of its own at CES, during his keynote at the trade show, CEO Jensen Huang announced the company's new AI superchip, the GB10, which is designed to power humanoid robots and other AI uses.
