From ping pong to laundry: robotics trends at CES 2026

The annual CES technology trade show featured various robotics developments this week, including the debut of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot. While these public demonstrations draw significant attention, robots on the showroom floor often serve as marketing tools rather than accurate representations of current commercial deployment. Instead of reflecting immediate widespread use, they offer a glimpse into where the technology may be headed.

Among the consumer-facing and entertainment exhibits, Chinese robotics firm Sharpa demonstrated a ping-pong-playing robot to showcase the dexterity of its robotic hand. In a demonstration match against a human opponent, the robot lost with a score of 5-9. Meanwhile, Unitree, a Chinese robotics manufacturer, demonstrated dancing robots. Unitree has been scrutinized for potential ties to the Chinese military, despite its claims of developing humanoid robots that can run at speeds of up to 11 mph. Other entertainment-focused displays included EngineAI’s T800 humanoid robots, which shadowboxed in a mock ring, prompting an attendee to remark, “That’s too much like Robocop.”

In the realm of commercial automation, Dyna Robotics showcased its progress in advanced manipulation models for automated tasks. The firm concluded a $120 million Series A—an early-stage venture capital financing round—in September. The funding round included backing from Nvidia’s venture capital arm NVentures, alongside Amazon, LG, Salesforce, and Samsung. To demonstrate real-world utility, Dyna’s shirt-folding robot was integrated into Monster Laundry, a laundry center based in Sacramento, California, late last year, making it the first laundry center in North America to deploy the system.

Other notable robotics developments at the event included:

• Galbot: The Chinese company demonstrated a general-purpose robot styled as a convenience store clerk, utilizing multi-modal large language models—AI models capable of processing multiple types of data (text, images, etc.)—to retrieve selected items for customers.
• LG: LG showcased its CLOid home robot.
• Roborock: The firm featured its Saros Rover robot vacuum, which uses articulating legs on wheels to climb stairs.
• PaXini Tech: The Chinese firm demonstrated its TORA-ONE humanoid robot, which is guided by high-precision sensors and can perform tasks like making ice cream.
• Switchbot: The company introduced its onero H1 domestic helper bot, designed to assist with household chores such as picking up dirty laundry.

Why it matters

The developments at CES 2026 highlight a dual track in robotics, balancing consumer-facing entertainment bots with practical commercial automation solutions like laundry folding.