Robotics Highlights of CES 2024

Robotics Highlights of CES 2024

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place in Las Vegas from January 9 to 12, 2024. This year, over 4,000 exhibitors and more than 130,000 visitors attended the world's largest electronics trade fair.

As the name suggests, CES is all about consumer electronics, i.e. electronics for the home, entertainment and more. From televisions, gaming and graphics cards to cars, everything is there, and of course, robots can’t be missing!

Today, we will share with you to the most interesting robotics innovations presented at CES.

Samsung Ballie: cute helper for the home

Ballie from Samsung is set to become the "true AI companion" in the home. The little helper, which is roughly the size and shape of a bowling ball, is set to go on sale in 2024. Ballie can patrol the house, control smart devices, take care of pets and even help with fitness goals.

Samsung presented a prototype back in 2020, and now Ballie has grown physically and in terms of content.

The little ball is intended to be a real all-rounder: Samsung has shown how the robot can project a fitness video onto the wall, including musical accompaniment; it can graphically display the air quality in the house and, for example, indicate that a filter change is due. It can also display appointments or make phone calls.

Although the robot is set to be available later this year, the demo at CES was scripted and viewers were not allowed to interact with Ballie themselves; the robot has also not yet been independently tested. It is therefore unclear whether Ballie really delivers what it promises.

Everyone can decide for themselves whether Ballie is a valuable investment or just an expensive gimmick that offers no real added value. In any case, it looks cute and some people will certainly enjoy it.

Unitree H1: Humanoid robot dances in the crowd

No robotics trade fair is complete without humanoid robots: two new models were also presented at CES 2024.

Kepler Robotics presented a stationary model of the new Kepler Forerunner K1, but it was just standing around and there were no live demos.

The situation was different at Unitree, where the Unitree H1 Humanoid quickly became a crowd favorite: there were live demos almost continuously and the robot danced in the middle of the audience. The robot made a stable impression and there were no accidents, but having a 68-kilogram robot dance in the middle of the crowd is still a bit risky.

Humanoid robots are of course always a crowd puller, but so far there has not been one that has any real benefit, apart of course from the attention that the manufacturing companies get from it.

Glidance: robot assistance for the visually impaired

Now let's move on to robots that actually offer real value: Right at the forefront is Glidance, which won a CES 2024 Innovation Award for its prototype.

Glide is a robotic walking aid on wheels that, like a guide dog, helps visually impaired people to find their way around.

Glide has cameras and sensors and provides the user with information about the surroundings in the form of sound and haptic feedback, allowing it to describe nearby objects, for example.

It can also be connected to standard navigation apps, so you can enter a destination in Google Maps, for example, and the robot will follow the corresponding route. Alternatively, it is also possible to go on a walk without a destination, for example. The robot can also be used indoors to help avoid obstacles.

Source: Glidance.io

The founder of Glidance, Amos Miller, lost his eyesight in his 20s. He worked in product development at Microsoft and launched the Microsoft Soundscape navigation app, for example, which helps visually impaired people to navigate. With Glide, he is pursuing the vision of enabling visually impaired people to lead a self-determined life.

Mobinn: A robot that can climb stairs

The Korean RcLab presented Mobinn; an autonomous mobile robot for last-mile delivery. The automation of the last mile, i.e. the transportation route from the depot to the end customer, has been a field of interest for some time, and there have already been a number of developments in this area. But what sets Mobinn apart from its competitors: Wheels that allow the robot to "climb" stairs.

Mobinn can go up and down stairs, and a self-balancing box ensures that transported food or drink is not spilled.

Stairs are a challenge for mobile robots, especially in regard to the industry, where oftentimes, one or two staircases lead into the production hall. So thumbs up to Mobinn for mastering this.

Finger vision: Tactile feedback through cameras in grippers

The Japanese start-up Fingervision presents an interesting concept for gripping technology. As the name suggests, the grippers are equipped with camera technology and image processing. As a result, the gripper knows how best to pick up the object and how much force it needs to apply at which point. This prevents the gripped objects from slipping out.

Labels, for example, can also be recognized. One application that has already been implemented is the sorting of packaged rice balls filled with salmon or tuna. The gripper sees the label and sorts the rice balls accordingly.

There are many possible applications for such a gripper; the start-up is currently focusing on the food industry, for example picking up chicken nuggets and packing them into containers.

Very intriguing, especially as one of the company's goals is to offer this technology at a reasonable price.

Moxie: an AI robot for children

And last but not least: Moxie from Embodied AI.

This is an AI robot with a face that is reminiscent of animated characters from Disney or Pixar films and is designed to be a companion for children.

Moxie was created in collaboration with child psychologists and child development specialists and is therefore of real educational value.

Moxie is designed to support children in various areas of life. It encourages children to enjoy learning by having conversations with them about various topics and it can answer questions and tell fun facts. Children can also read to Moxie, which promotes reading and language skills.

Quelle: Moxierobot.com

Moxie also helps develop social skills. According to the manufacturer, 71% of parents who already use Moxie have reported an improvement in their children's social skills.

Little ones can tell Moxie about their worries without fear of negative feedback. Many parents reported that their children became more self-confident and learned to better communicate their feelings.

The robot can also encourage children to be more mindful and it has an array of guided, age-appropriate meditations or breathing exercises with them.

Of course, Moxie is also a playmate and it can initiate scavenger hunts and dancing, for example. Children are given daily missions to help them learn empathy, respect and kindness through play.

Moxie is already available, and the latest version of the robot was presented at CES, which features improvements. In addition, up to 4 children can now have their own profile on Moxie. The price is €800 new, but the manufacturer also offers used, refurbished models for €650. Moxie is designed for children aged between 5 and 10 and you can test Moxie in a virtual demo before buying.

A great robot that introduces children to AI and robotics in a playful way and takes away their fear of contact.

These were the robot highlights of CES 2024. Some of the devices are arguably more likely sensational than useful, but there were also some really great, innovative products presented that could make our lives easier in the future.