Some Robots at CES Are Truly Spectacular… In a Very Sluggish Sort of Method

We’ve been ready on Rosey the robotic for over 60 years now—some model of a robotic servant to take over the menial family chores that no person enjoys. And judging by the footage that’s emerged from CES in Las Vegas this 12 months, we’re nonetheless going to be ready some time longer. However that doesn’t imply there’s cause to despair. The robots on show could also be gradual however they regarded reasonably spectacular in some enjoyable methods.

The robotic that’s maybe gotten essentially the most consideration for its gradual actions at CES is CLOiD from LG Electronics. The robotic appeared on stage with LG govt Brandt Varner, who handed CLOiD a towel that it then positioned right into a washer.

As you may see it was gradual. Painfully gradual, as so many information shops have now put it.

The robotic doesn’t have legs and strikes by way of a wheeled base that’s truly nearer to Rosey from the Jetsons than different bipedal concepts for humanoid robots. And it demonstrated different expertise at CES offstage, together with grabbing a carton of milk out of the fridge and grabbing some keys off a sofa in an effort to hand them to a human. The robotic additionally folded some laundry, which was additionally fairly rattling gradual.

Why on Earth would I be impressed in any respect with this? The half that makes me optimistic about how that is all progressing is the truth that LG says that is all being accomplished autonomously.

As the corporate explains:

On the core of LG CLOiD is the corporate’s Bodily AI know-how, which mixes:

• Imaginative and prescient Language Mannequin (VLM) – converts photos and video into structured, language-based understanding
• Imaginative and prescient Language Motion (VLA) – interprets visible and verbal inputs into bodily actions

These fashions have been educated on tens of 1000’s of hours of family activity information, enabling LG CLOiD to acknowledge home equipment, interpret consumer intent and execute context-appropriate actions akin to opening doorways or transferring objects.

That places it forward of the vaporware robotic demonstrations from years passed by the place the whole lot was operated remotely by an unseen human. Again within the Fifties, there was RCA-Whirlpool’s robotic vacuum, placed on show for the Soviets below the false pretense that it was working independently. And Elon Musk’s Optimus robotic has been up to date to make use of that same trick right here within the 2020s, with teleoperation for issues like serving popcorn, pouring beer, or folding laundry. A a lot ridiculed video from the Wall Street Journal in October confirmed the Neo robotic from 1X Applied sciences can also be remotely managed. Is that the long run?

Sure, it does seem that CLOiD has some methods to go earlier than it may be offered to shoppers, as LG says they haven’t any speedy plans to make the robotic commercially obtainable. And there’s no assure it ever will probably be sitting on retailer cabinets for anybody to purchase. Nevertheless it was a enjoyable demonstration that wasn’t trying to deceive anybody. That seems like a win in a crowded robotics area with some notable carnival barkers who’re promoting family robots with out being clear about their ranges of autonomy.

There’s additionally Sharpa’s robotic North, which might play ping pong. Sharpa describes the robotic as having “Human-like upper-body vary of movement, from neck to waist and from shoulder to wrist.” And it seems to be fairly cool in motion, as you may see within the video under.

Totally autonomous ping-pong recreation and windmill meeting preview—reside at CES!
Can’t wait to indicate North, our full-body robotic, to the world!
Cease by Sales space #9251 North Corridor to see it in motion.#Sharpa #SharpaNorth #SharpaWave #AI #robot #pingpong @CES pic.twitter.com/6OfP7fDmqq

— Sharpa (@SharpaRobotics) January 6, 2026

North delivers a 0.02-second response time, in response to the corporate, and is fully autonomous. That autonomy is, once more, what makes this so thrilling, even when North isn’t going to beat Marty Supreme anytime quickly.

The second a part of the video exhibits North manipulating objects with some dexterity, although you’ll word it’s sped up 4x. However the truth that it’s additionally working autonomously ought to give these individuals fantasizing about having their very own private Rosey companion some hope for the long run. It’s a cool factor to observe, even when it’s been sped up.

Not the entire robots had a humanoid type like CLOiD and North. You’ve acquired iGarden’s new M1 robotic pool cleaners and L Collection and L AWD Collection robotic lawnmowers, variations of robots we’ve seen earlier than that deal with duties across the house without having to seem like Rosey.

Roborock’s Saros Rover is in that bucket of non-humanoid robots as a low-profile vacuum, however this isn’t your father’s Roomba. It may well climb stairs with legs which might be, dare I say, cute? The Saros Rover doesn’t have a launch date but, but it surely’s additionally a type of robots that’s simply reasonably enjoyable to observe not directly.

Roborock’s Saros Rover is a robotic vacuum with legs that may climb stairs and clear them #CES2026 pic.twitter.com/1dCHSAeyJZ

— Ray Wong (@raywongy) January 7, 2026

None of those robots seem like they’re going to knock your socks off. However possibly I’m bizarre for being pleasantly shocked by the standard demonstrations after watching guys like Elon Musk pull off demos in 2025 that have been extra like magic methods than peeks on the future.

When it comes proper right down to it, I’ve much more respect for a totally autonomous robotic demonstration that strikes a bit slowly over Optimus getting teleoperated by some unseen drive behind a curtain. As a result of Optimus has accomplished its personal laundry-folding demonstration, if you happen to recall.

And, sure, that’s a human hand poking out of the nook because the robotic is being teleoperated. Tesla has but to indicate a video of Optimus folding laundry autonomously.

Gizmodo is on the bottom in Las Vegas all week bringing you the whole lot it’s worthwhile to know in regards to the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You’ll be able to comply with our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.