CES 2024 has been all about artificial intelligence, but one other trending technology has been giving AI a run for its money — robotics.
We’ve seen home helpers that can watch your pets, lawnmowers that can customize cutting patterns and a delivery robot that can climb stairs.
There have been enough robot vacuum cleaners, mops and home appliances to get Skynet excited for the start of the rebellion, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything without AI.
The best robots at CES 2024
To get an idea of just how widespread the robot invasion of our homes, gardens and workspaces has become I’ve pulled together a list of the 7 best robotic announcements so far at CES 2024.
1. Ballie projects itself into your heart
Before CES even began Samsung declared it was all-in on AI. This includes using vision models to tell you what food to make based on the contents of your fridge, launching new large language models for its cellphones and bringing smart robots to your home.
Ballie is part entertainment device, part chatbot and part home assistant. The round robot can project things onto the floor, wall or ceiling as it follows you around the home like a lost puppy.
The yellow bot can also message its owner to give an update on the pets, manage smart tech in the home and even answer calls on your behalf.
The problem is right now it's nothing more than a video. When the first version of Ballie was unveiled in 2020 a model was whizzing around the stage. This year we’ve only seen it in a video, with no details on price, launch or availability.
2. LG smart home agent
You wait all day for a bus then two come along at once. Or in this case, you don’t wait for a tiny, cute robot that can link up with your home appliances but two still come along at once.
Not to be outdone by Samsung, LG revealed its smart home agent. An AI-packed little bot on two legs that rolls around your home keeping an eye on your smart tech, pets and you.
LG’s little agent is basically a smart hub that can move about. It has a built-in large language model voice assistant so you can communicate with it in much the same way you can with ChatGPT voice and it can monitor your mood.
Connected through the LG smart home platform ThinQ, it can manage washers, ovens and even refrigerators unaided. It uses machine learning to understand how the family interacts and uses devices and can perform voice and facial analysis. Like Bailee it has no price, release data or physical model to try out.
3. Rise of the lawnbot — Segway Navimow
Robot lawnmowers aren't a new idea. They've been around about as long as the robot vacuum with new models and companies rising and falling.
This year at CES we've seen a multitude of mowers, blowers and other gardening aids and one of the highlights is the Segway Navimow.
The Navimow H Series has been available in Europe for some time but is now coming to the U.S. for the first time. It uses AI vision technology and GPS positioning to navigate around even the most tricky yard and uses a small base station when GPS isn't available.
The H Series range features a BladeHalt sensor, a Rain sensor, an Ultrasonic sensor (H3000), and a VisionFence sensor (H3000), so it should be able to more easily detect and avoid objects on your lawn.
Pricing has not yet been made available for the U.S. market, but when it was released in Europe, the H500E was priced at €1,199 (about $1,300), the H800 was at €1,499, and the H3000E cost €2,499 (about $2,700).
4. Oro is a buddy for your pets
Both Samsung's Ballie and the LG smart home agent boast pet-sitting capabilities, but the adorable big-eyed ORo from Ogmen Robotics goes a step further, being designed as a ball-throwing, food-delivering pet buddy.
The autonomous robot can take care of your dog when you're not at home. Priced at $799 and available from April it is fitted way a suit of sensors, two-way audio and an interactive video screen that lets you chat to your canine from anywhere.
ORo can also capture images and videos of your pet at play that you can then share online or keep to look back on. it also has a built-in food dispenser that can launch nibbles at your good boy and a separate automatic food bowl that the bot can control.
One of the most impressive features is its built-in AI that learns by watching the way your pet plays. It understands its behavior patterns and can play music or throw a ball when Rover becomes agitated or restless.
ORo is currently available for pre-order with a $299 downpayment with the remaining $500 due when it is ready to ship. It comes in cozy carbon and ivory mist. The price includes hte base-station, the dog bowl and the robot.
5. Climbing up the stairs — MOBINN from RcLab
The MOBINN is a delivery robot with flexible wheels that allow it to drive on even ground and climb stairs while bringing you that parcel you need urgently.
It is a research example at the moment without a date for release or a price but it can maintain a constant and steady horizon for the main body ensuring the Starbucks you ordered doesn't spill on its way from the coffee shop down the street.
The M3 has a LiDAR-based mapping system to allow it to operate regardless of the terrain and can also work in rain, snow and at night.
6. The Loona companion bot
Sometimes all you need to cheer you up is a pet but that isn't always practical. Enter Loona, the companion robot that uses ChatGPT to provide natural conversation with its owner.
Built by Beijing KEYi Technology, the toy can play a range of interactive games, is a moveable home monitor and acts as a programming learning platform.
The cute little bot also includes gesture recognition technology, voice commands and graphic programming to allow users to create their own instructions.
The base model is $380 with a range of accessories and add-ons available including coding kits, game prop kits and a charging dock.
7. Robot vacuum phone home
Robot vacuum maker Roborock has a new flagship vacuum and mp called the S8 MaxV Ultra that includes a voice assistant, robot arm and video calling functionality.
Launching at CES 2024, the S8 MaxV can be controlled without the need for another device — just speak to it and tell it what to clean.
The built-in camera allows for AI-powered obstacle avoidance in addition to the ability to call its owner or have the owner call in remotely.
Check out our CES 2024 hub for all the latest news from the show as it happens. Follow the Tom’s Guide team in Las Vegas as we cover everything AI, as well as the best new TVs, laptops, fitness gear, wearables and smart home gadgets at the show.
And be sure to check out the Tom's Guide TikTok channel for all the newest videos from CES!
