The CES show floor is rarely subtle. Screens flash benchmarks, robots sprint obstacle courses, and AI demos compete to prove they're faster, smarter, or more autonomous than the one across the aisle.
Amid that noise, one installation consistently drew people to slow down. So when a small crowd gathered around a soft, unmoving panda robot, watching it respond slowly to a gentle touch, it felt like a contrast by design.
That robot was An'An, a biomimetic panda developed by Mind With Heart Robotics, and it became one of CES 2026's more unexpected points of interest. While many exhibitors focused on productivity and performance, An'An stood out for something quieter: emotional presence.
In a year when artificial intelligence dominated nearly every corner of CES, particularly in healthcare, ageing, and wellbeing, An'An offered a glimpse of a different direction for the technology, one focused less on optimisation and more on emotional support.
A Different Kind of Robot
An'An didn't command attention through spectacle. There were no dramatic live demos or bold claims projected on screens. Instead, visitors lingered. Some reached out to touch the panda's fur. Others simply watched how it responded, slowly, deliberately, almost cautiously.
That reaction alone set it apart.
"So much of the AI at CES is trying to prove how fast or capable it is," said one CES attendee familiar with healthcare technology. "This felt different. It wasn't trying to impress anyone, it just invited people to slow down for a moment."
At first glance, An'An does not resemble the sleek, industrial machines often associated with robotics showcases. Designed as a panda cub, An'An is intentionally soft, approachable, and non-threatening. Handcrafted with Australian wool and sheepskin, the robot is built to invite touch rather than avoid it.
Full-body tactile sensors allow An'An to respond to physical interaction with gentle, lifelike movements. A stroke, a hug, or a tap triggers subtle behavioral responses, reinforcing a sense of presence that feels comforting rather than mechanical. This biomimetic design plays a critical role in An'An's purpose: providing emotional reassurance without stigma.
Emotional Intelligence Built Over Time
What sets An'An apart is not only how it looks or feels, but how it learns. The robot operates on emotionally intelligent AI designed to develop long-term memory based on voice patterns and interaction habits. Over time, An'An adapts to individual users, creating a sense of continuity that extends beyond novelty.
Rather than offering scripted responses or short-term engagement, An'An builds familiarity through repeated interaction. This allows the robot to respond in ways that feel increasingly personal, supporting sustained companionship rather than momentary distraction.
In a category often driven by short demos and quick impressions, this emphasis on long-term interaction stood out to CES visitors evaluating how AI might function beyond the show floor.
Loneliness and Elderly Care as an Emerging Use Case
An'An was designed with a specific purpose in mind: addressing loneliness and emotional isolation, particularly among older adults. As populations age and caregiving resources become increasingly strained, emotional wellbeing has emerged as a critical yet often overlooked aspect of health.
As a flagship elderly-care solution, An'An provides 24/7 emotional support without the social barriers sometimes associated with human caregiving. The robot can proactively engage users during periods of inactivity, offering companionship that feels present but non-intrusive.
A B2B version of An'An is also being explored for use in settings such as assisted-living facilities and clinical care environments, where emotional support tools are increasingly being evaluated as part of broader care models.
Several CES attendees working in healthcare and senior care noted that solutions addressing emotional isolation, rather than efficiency alone, were increasingly visible across the show, with An'An representing one of the clearest examples of that shift.
Building Toward Scalable Emotional AI
While An'An's design emphasizes warmth and comfort, the technology behind it is firmly grounded in research and scalability. Preliminary studies indicate measurable improvements in mood, positioning An'An as a clinical-grade emotional support solution rather than a consumer novelty.
Behind its soft exterior, An'An is built on a unified affective AI architecture designed for reliability, privacy, and long-term use. The company points to its growing patent portfolio and comparatively lower projected cost as signals that the technology is being developed with scalability and real-world deployment in mind, rather than as a short-term showcase.
Notably, the cost of An'An is projected at roughly one-fifth that of traditional therapeutic robots, a factor that CES judges often consider when evaluating real-world impact and accessibility.
Why An'An Stood Out on the CES Floor
CES Innovation Awards are often associated with ambition and scale. In An'An's case, the ambition was restrained.
According to CES Innovation Awards criteria, products are evaluated not only for technical achievement but also for how effectively they address real-world needs. In that context, An'An's focus on emotional presence rather than performance benchmarks may help explain why it resonated within a crowded AI category.
In a year when artificial intelligence appeared across nearly every hall, An'An stood out by addressing a human-scale problem with measured intent. Rather than promising transformation, it offered presence.
Mass production is scheduled to begin in March 2026, with plans for rollout across consumer and healthcare markets. Whether An'An ultimately reshapes emotional care remains to be seen, but at CES 2026, it prompted a different kind of conversation.
A Glimpse of AI's Human-Centered Future
As conversations around artificial intelligence continue to evolve, An'An offers a compelling example of where the field may be heading. Rather than optimizing efficiency or replacing human roles, emotionally intelligent robotics aim to complement care, offering presence where it is most needed.
For CES coverage that explores how AI can meaningfully improve quality of life, An'An suggests a future less focused on replacement and more on support, technology designed to listen, respond, and quietly coexist with human vulnerability.
On a show floor built to impress, An'An did something rarer: it slowed people down. Whether emotionally intelligent companions like it will see widespread adoption in healthcare and consumer markets remains an open question, but at CES 2026, An'An suggested that the next phase of AI may be measured not just by performance, but by presence.
