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Robots have long clogged the corridors at CES, the big tech show that takes over the Las Vegas Convention Centre each January. This year was no different, but now they’ve got AI smarts so we can take them to work – or leave them at home to do our laundry and scrub the floors.
Well, that’s the claim, at least, and there is one company that looks set to deliver: Boston Dynamics. The robotics company is famous for terrifying YouTube videos of humanoid robots doing parkour or four-legged mechanical beasts outrunning humans. A few years back it ditched the hydraulic designs for electric models and refocused on building AI brains for its humanoid robot, known as Atlas.
That model got its first showing at CES, walking onto stage and waving to the crowd. That came alongside an announcement that Google’s DeepMind is working with the company to provide AI to Boston Dynamic’s robots – and that Atlas already had a job at a car factory.
A few caveats, though. First, in the demo, the Atlas robot was remotely controlled – it wasn’t moving intelligently using AI, though that’s the eventual plan. And second, the company that is “employing” Atlas is Hyundai, which owns Boston Dynamics, and the job doesn’t start until 2028.
In short, we’ll have to wait and see.
Chinese robotics makers also showed off their designs. Unitree Robotics had a trio of humanoid robots on show, with live demonstrations of the G1 showing it “boxing” and performing martial arts, according to reports, though hopefully it doesn’t try that on the factory floor once deployed.
EngineAI showed off its T800 – which went viral last year in a video showing the company’s CEO being kicked by the robot – and its PM01 smaller robot, which is already being put to work for inspection tasks, guided tours, and automated patrols, the company has said.
That’s better than some rivals have managed. A recent reveal of a Russian robot saw the machine do a very human faceplant mid demonstration, while Tesla chalked up another faux pas when its Optimus humanoid robot was spotted making a gesture like taking off a headset before collapsing, sparking reports that they continue to be remotely controlled rather than AI-powered intelligence.
At CES, there were other humanoid robots. The LG CLOiD rolled onto stage for a demonstration at its home-cleaning capabilities. While it did get going on the laundry, it sure took its sweet time: taking a towel, rolling over to a washing machine, and dropping the item into the drum took half a minute. And all on a hard floor, note, which is much easier to manoeuvre on.
SwitchBot also showed off its Onero H1 at CES, following a demo video released before the show that had the small rolling bot making breakfast and folding clothes. While it’s supposed to go on sale later this year, one report suggested it took two minutes to pick up an item of clothing and place it in a nearby washer.
Robot butlers may be here, but they aren’t very fast – nor very useful.
Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter admitted to Reuters that there was “a bit of a hype cycle around [robotic] humanoids at this point in time”. But he did point to the “thousands” of four legged robots the company has already sold, referring to its Spot “dogs”.
Perhaps human forms aren’t the best.
While Atlas and Optimus still need handlers, the others take hours to load the washer, and other humanoids are falling on their faces, the robots making waves at CES continue to be small and job specific – think Roombas, but updated.
Anker unveiled the Eufy S2 vacuum and washer, which can not only dry its own mop attachment but also acts as a roving scent diffuser, spraying perfume around your house as it cleans. The Roborock Saros Rover has legs so it can climb stairs in order to vacuum them and reach different floors.
Given the success of such designs, it’s no wonder companies are trying to extend small robots into other realms. But tasking the Sentigent Rovar X3 with watching your children at the playground – as the company has suggested to reporters – may be more than we should ask of robots right now.
