CES hints at robotic assistants but offers upgraded Roombas instead

The versatile home robot remains a distant dream for now.

When you tune in to the buzz from CES this year, it might sound like robots are finally ready to take over your household responsibilities. However, think twice before assuming you can replace all chores with a single device; while one robot can't handle everything, a fleet might handle different tasks.

It's likely you've had a single-function robot at home already. Robot vacuums have been automating individual cleaning duties for years, and it's logical that these same companies are advancing household robotics.

The year 2026 is being hailed as the debut of robotic legs. Roborock presented a vacuum with two mobile, wheeled legs that can leap over obstacles, handle uneven surfaces, and even climb stairs. Meanwhile, Dreame showcased its legged vacuum concept, the Cyber X, at last year's IFA, and it's making another appearance at CES with its four tank-tread legs.

On a more mundane note, Anker's Eufy robovac now freshens the air with fragrance as it cleans.

It's fascinating to delegate tasks like lawn mowing or pet entertainment to a little robot, yet this isn't quite the future where one robot butler handles all duties, as depicted in sci-fi.

This trend echoes industrial robotics, where specialized machines are handling specific tasks rather than humanoid robots performing various jobs. Facilities prefer efficient single-purpose robots, like those I observed in Ocado warehouses, which process orders with task-specific bots.

Having bespoke tools for each task suits environments adaptable to change, as Ocado's Deputy CEO, James Matthews, noted. Human-like robots, though appealing, aren't a priority due to intrinsic limitations paralleling human constraints.

In factories, creating thousands of robots each suited for a task is sustainable. In the home, buying a distinct robot for every chore, alongside their hefty price tags, could deter widespread adoption.

Nonetheless, the pursuit of the all-encompassing robot isn't off the table. Boston Dynamics debuted a new model at CES, which Hyundai intends to deploy in their manufacturing lines.

Prominent showcases like LG's CLOiD, a humanoid prototype demonstrating domestic tasks like folding laundry, are more the exception than the rule and are still developing. LG plans for a future where a network of appliances functions as a unified AI system.

Companies like Amazon and Tesla continue to stir interest with their humanoid robotics, yet practical implementation remains limited. For instance, Boston Dynamics' Atlas won't hit the market until 2028, and its recent CES showing lacked dynamism.

As for LG's ambitious vision, there's no concrete release for CLOiD, which is part of their 'Zero Labor Home' initiative—a grand goal for interconnected smart appliances working as one.

Although no successor to Rosey the Robot is on the immediate horizon, individual robotic solutions are steadily making their way into our homes, one function at a time.