LAS VEGAS, January 9, 2026 — Boston Dynamics unveiled a production-ready version of Atlas, its humanoid robot, at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, signaling a major leap forward in robotics development. But Atlas wasn’t the only bot turning heads; the show floor buzzed with demonstrations of increasingly sophisticated machines, offering a glimpse into the future of automation—and a healthy dose of entertainment.
Robots Take Center Stage at CES 2026
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From ping pong players to boxing bots, the latest robotics innovations were on full display.
- The new Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics is now available for production.
- Chinese firms showcased a range of humanoid robots, including those designed for sport and convenience.
- Advancements in robotic manipulation are enabling automation in industries like laundry services.
What kind of robots were showcased at CES 2026? A diverse array, from robots capable of playing table tennis to those designed to assist in everyday tasks like fetching items from a convenience store and even folding laundry.
The Ping Pong Player
With the recent release of the movie Marty Supreme, it felt fitting to see a robot demonstrating its ping-pong skills at the convention. Chinese robotics firm Sharpa equipped a full-bodied bot to compete against a staff member. When I observed the match, the robot was trailing 5-9, and the game wasn’t particularly fast-paced. Nevertheless, witnessing a robot play ping pong was impressive, and I’ve certainly encountered humans with comparable—or even worse—paddle skills. A Sharpa representative explained that the company’s primary product is its robotic hand, and the full-bodied bot served to showcase the hand’s dexterity.
The Boxer
One of the most popular exhibits featured robots from EngineAI, a Chinese company developing humanoid robots. Dubbed the T800—a nod to the Terminator franchise—the bots were styled as fighting machines in a mock boxing ring. However, they didn’t actually strike each other, instead shadowboxing near each other without making contact. The bots were also somewhat unpredictable; one wandered out of the ring and into the audience, while another tripped and fell, remaining on the floor for a moment before righting itself. While not a Mike Tyson-level performance, the machines’ uncanny humanoid behavior provided engaging entertainment. An observer quipped, “That’s too much like Robocop.”
The Dancer
Dancing robots are a CES tradition, and this year was no exception. Unitree, a major Chinese robotics manufacturer currently under scrutiny for potential ties to the Chinese military, showcased its dancing bots. Unitree has announced a humanoid bot capable of running at speeds up to 11 mph. I didn’t observe anything concerning at Unitree’s booth, just robots enjoying the music.
The Convenience Store Clerk
I visited the booth for Galbot, a Chinese company focused on multi-modal large language models and general-purpose robotics. Galbot’s booth was designed to resemble a convenience store, and its bot was linked to a menu app. Customers could select an item, and the bot would retrieve it. After choosing Sour Patch Kids, the bot promptly delivered a box. The company’s website states that the robot has been deployed in real-world settings, including assisting at Chinese pharmacies.
The Housekeeper
Automated laundry folding has long been a key goal for the commercial robotics community, considered a fundamental test of automated competence. I was impressed by the display at Dyna Robotics, which develops advanced manipulation models. A pair of robotic arms efficiently folded laundry and stacked it neatly. A Dyna representative stated that the firm has partnered with hotels, gyms, and factories.
One partner is Monster Laundry, based in Sacramento, California. Monster integrated Dyna’s shirt-folding robot late last year, now advertising itself as the “first laundry center in North America to debut a state-of-the-art robotic folding system from Dyna.” Dyna also recently secured $120 million in Series A funding in September, with investment from Nvidia’s NVentures, Amazon, LG, Salesforce, and Samsung.
The Butler
I also checked out LG’s new home robot, CLOid, at CES. While cute, it wasn’t the fastest bot on display.
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