Examining how robots are moving from demonstrations to daily use.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:22 PM
An industrial robotic arm capable of autonomous welding. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
CES 2026 did not frame robotics as a distant future or a technological spectacle. Instead, it highlighted machines designed for the slow, practical work of fitting into human systems. Across the show floor, robots were no longer performing for attention but being shaped by real-world constraints—space, safety, fatigue and repetition.
They appeared in factories, homes, emergency settings and industrial sites, each responding to a specific kind of human limitation. Together, these four robots reveal how robotics is being redefined: not as a replacement for people, but as infrastructure that quietly takes on work humans are least meant to carry alone.
Hyundai Motor unveiled its electric humanoid robot, Atlas, during a media day on January 5, 2026, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas as part of CES 2026. Developed with Boston Dynamics, Hyundai’s U.S.-based robotics subsidiary, Atlas was presented in two forms: a research prototype and a commercial model designed for real factory environments.
Shown under the theme “AI Robotics, Beyond the Lab to Life: Partnering Human Progress,” Atlas is designed to work alongside humans rather than replace them. The premise is straightforward—robots take on physically demanding and repetitive tasks such as sorting and assembly, while people focus on work requiring judgment, creativity and decision-making.
Built for industrial use, the commercial version of Atlas is designed to adapt quickly, with Hyundai stating it can learn new tasks within a day. Its adult-sized humanoid form features 56 degrees of freedom, enabling flexible, human-like movement. Tactile sensors in its hands and a 360-degree vision system support spatial awareness and precise operation.
Atlas is also engineered for demanding conditions. It can lift up to 50 kilograms, operate in temperatures ranging from –20°C to 40°C and is waterproof, making it suitable for challenging factory settings.
Looking ahead, Hyundai expects Atlas to begin with parts sorting and sequencing by 2028, move into assembly by 2030 and later take on precision tasks that require sustained physical effort and focus.
Widemount’s Smart Firefighting Robot is designed to operate in environments that are difficult and dangerous for humans to enter. Developed by Widemount Dynamics, a spinout from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the robot is built to support emergency teams during fires, particularly in enclosed and smoke-filled spaces.
The robot can move through buildings and industrial facilities even when visibility is near zero. Rather than relying on cameras or GPS, it uses radar-based mapping to understand its surroundings and determine a safe path forward. This allows it to continue operating when smoke, heat or debris would normally restrict access.
As it approaches a fire, the robot analyses the burning object. Its onboard AI helps identify the material involved and selects an appropriate extinguishing method. Sensors simultaneously assess flame intensity and send real-time updates to command centres, giving responders clearer situational awareness.
When actively fighting a fire, the robot can aim directly at the source and deploy extinguishing agents autonomously. The system continuously adjusts its actions based on incoming sensor data, reducing the need for constant human intervention during high-risk situations.
At CES 2026, LG Electronics offered a glimpse into how household work could gradually shift from people to machines. The company introduced LG CLOiD, an AI-powered home robot designed to manage everyday chores by working directly with connected appliances within LG’s ThinQ ecosystem.
Designed for indoor living spaces, CLOiD features a compact upper body with two articulated arms, a head unit and a wheeled base that enables steady movement across floors. Its torso can tilt to adjust height, allowing it to reach items placed low or on kitchen counters. The arms and hands are built for careful handling, enabling the robot to grip common household objects rather than heavy tools. The head also functions as a mobile control unit, housing cameras, sensors, a display and voice interaction capabilities for communication and monitoring.
In practice, CLOiD acts as a task coordinator. It can retrieve items from appliances, operate ovens and washing machines and manage laundry cycles from start to finish, including folding and stacking clothes. By connecting multiple devices through the ThinQ system, the robot turns separate appliances into a single, coordinated workflow.
These capabilities are supported by LG’s Physical AI system. CLOiD uses vision to recognise objects and interpret its surroundings, language processing to understand instructions and action control to execute tasks step by step. Together, these systems allow the robot to follow routines, respond to user input and adjust task execution over time.
Doosan Robotics introduced Scan & Go at CES 2026, an AI-driven robotic system designed to automate large-scale surface repair and inspection. The solution targets environments with complex, irregular surfaces that are difficult to pre-program, such as aircraft structures, wind turbine blades and large industrial installations.
Scan & Go operates by scanning surfaces on site and building an understanding of their shape in real time. Instead of relying on detailed digital models or manual coding, the system plans its movements based on live data. This enables it to adapt to variations in size, curvature and surface condition without extensive setup.
The underlying technology combines 3D sensing with AI-based motion planning. The system interprets surface data, generates tool paths and refines its actions as work progresses. In practical terms, this reduces manual intervention while maintaining consistency across large work areas.
By handling surface preparation and inspection tasks that are time-consuming and physically demanding, Scan & Go is positioned as a support tool for industrial teams operating at scale.
Taken together, these robots signal a clear shift in how machines are being designed and deployed. Across factories, homes, emergency sites and industrial infrastructure, robotics is moving beyond demonstrations and into practical roles that support human work.
The unifying theme is not replacement, but relief—robots taking on tasks that are repetitive, hazardous or physically demanding. CES 2026 suggests that robotics is evolving from spectacle to utility, with a growing focus on systems that adapt to real environments, respond to genuine constraints and integrate into everyday workflows.
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The collaboration between Oversonic Robotics and STMicroelectronics highlights how robotics is beginning to fill gaps traditional automation cannot.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:28 PM
3D render of humanoid robots working in a factory assembly line. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
Oversonic Robotics, an Italian company known for building cognitive humanoid robots, has signed an agreement with STMicroelectronics, one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, to deploy humanoid robots inside semiconductor plants.
According to the companies, this is the first time cognitive humanoid robots will be used operationally inside semiconductor manufacturing facilities. And the first deployment has already taken place at ST’s advanced packaging and test plant in Malta.
At the center of the collaboration is RoBee, Oversonic’s humanoid robot. RoBee is designed to carry out support tasks within industrial environments, particularly where flexibility and interaction with human workers are required. In ST’s factories, the robots will assist with complex manufacturing and logistics flows linked to new semiconductor products. They are intended to work alongside existing automation systems, not replace them.
RoBee is notable for its ability to operate in environments shared with people. It is currently the only humanoid robot certified for use in both industrial and healthcare settings and is already in operation within several Italian companies. The robot is also being used in experimental hospital programs. That background helped position RoBee for deployment in tightly controlled manufacturing environments such as semiconductor plants.
Fabio Puglia, President of Oversonic Robotics, described the agreement as a milestone for deploying humanoid robots in complex industrial settings: “The partnership with STMicroelectronics is a great source of pride for us because it embodies the vision of cognitive robotics that Oversonic has brought to the industrial and healthcare markets. Being the first to introduce cognitive humanoid robots in a sophisticated production context such as semiconductors means measuring ourselves against the highest standards in terms of reliability, safety and operational continuity. This agreement represents a fundamental milestone for Oversonic and, more generally, for the industrial challenges these new machines are called to face in innovative and highly complex environments, alongside people and supporting their quality of work”.
From STMicroelectronics’ side, the use of humanoid robots is framed as part of a broader effort to manage growing manufacturing complexity. he company said RoBee will support complex tasks and help manage the intricate production flows required by newer semiconductor products. It is also expected to contribute to improved product quality and shorter manufacturing cycle times. The robots are designed to integrate with existing automation and software systems, helping improve safety and operational continuity.
In semiconductor manufacturing, precision and reliability leave little room for experimentation. Therefore, introducing humanoid robots into this environment signals a practical shift. It shows how robotics is starting to fill gaps that traditional automation has struggled to address.