The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) once again highlighted the rapid advancements in robotics, showcasing everything from entertainment-focused bots to increasingly practical commercial applications. This year’s event saw notable debuts, including Boston Dynamics’ production-ready Atlas humanoid, alongside a range of experimental and market-ready robots designed to capture attention and demonstrate future possibilities. While some displays were purely for show, they offered a glimpse into the evolving role of automation in everyday life.
The Rise of Robot Entertainment
Several booths featured robots designed for spectacle, signaling a growing trend toward robotic entertainment.
The Ping Pong Player: Chinese firm Sharpa demonstrated a full-bodied robot playing table tennis, though its performance was underwhelming; it lost to a human opponent 5-9. The bot served as a showcase for Sharpa’s robotic hand technology, which is the company’s primary product.
The Boxer: EngineAI’s T800 humanoid robots, styled after the Terminator franchise, drew crowds but failed to deliver actual combat. The bots shadowboxed without making contact, occasionally wandering into the audience or tripping over themselves. Despite the anticlimactic performance, the display captured attention with its uncanny, if imperfect, humanoid behavior.
The Dancer: Unitree, a Chinese robotics manufacturer facing scrutiny over potential military ties, showcased dancing robots capable of running up to 11 mph. No evidence of malicious activity was found at the booth, though the bots still drew attention.
Robots in Commercial Settings
Beyond entertainment, CES 2024 demonstrated growing commercial applications for robotics.
The Convenience Store Clerk: Galbot’s robot operated a mock convenience store, fulfilling orders through a menu app. The bot successfully retrieved a box of Sour Patch Kids upon request, demonstrating its deployment in real-world settings such as Chinese pharmacies.
The Housekeeper: Dyna Robotics displayed robotic arms efficiently folding laundry, a long-sought milestone in automated competence. The company has partnered with businesses like Monster Laundry in Sacramento, California, which now bills itself as the first North American laundry center with robotic folding.
Dyna Robotics has secured $120 million in Series A funding from investors including Nvidia, Amazon, LG, Salesforce, and Samsung. This funding signals confidence in the company’s ability to scale its automation solutions across various industries.
Conclusion: CES 2024 showcased a robotics landscape that is moving beyond novelty and toward practical implementation. From entertainment-focused bots to laundry-folding automation, the event underscored the expanding role of robots in commercial and consumer settings. While challenges remain, the industry is accelerating toward a future where automation becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life.
