Robot invasion: Humanoids and smart machines dazzle at CES 2026, here are our top 5 picks

CES has always been a spectacle of the possible, but CES 2026 will be remembered as the year the robots truly took centre stage. Moving beyond novelty acts and single-function gadgets, this year’s show was dominated by a tangible sense of arrival. The robots weren’t just coming; they were here, with polished designs, compelling use cases, and a startling degree of integrated intelligence. From humanoids seeking a place in our homes and workplaces to specialised smart machines redefining industries, the invasion was both dazzling and disarmingly practical. After navigating the buzzing show floors, here are our top five picks that define this new robotic epoch.

1. Astra: The Empathetic Domestic Humanoid (Unitree Robotics)

The shock wasn’t that Unitree—a company known for powerful robot dogs—unveiled a humanoid. It was how complete and context-aware their Astra model felt. Standing at a non-intimidating 5’5”, Astra moved with unprecedented fluidity, thanks to its latest hybrid hydraulic-electric actuators. But the true marvel was its “Social Cortex” AI system.

While other humanoids perform pre-programmed tasks, Astra engages in real-time emotional and situational analysis. Its optical and auditory sensors allow it to read a room’s tone. In one demonstration, Astra noticed a user sighing while looking at a cluttered kitchen. Instead of waiting for a command, it verbally acknowledged the “project” and began clearing dishes, adapting its pathing around a pet that wandered into its way. It then engaged the user in a light conversation about their day. Astra represents the pivotal shift from robots as tools to robots as companions and proactive helpers, blurring the line between appliance and household member. It’s the first humanoid that didn’t feel like a machine performing, but an entity interacting.

2. ForgeCell AI: The Autonomous Factory Floor Manager (Siemens)

Industrial automation is nothing new, but Siemens’ ForgeCell AI is a leap into full factory autonomy. This isn’t a single robot, but a mobile, multi-armed platform on an omnidirectional base, acting as a foreman, technician, and logistics coordinator all in one.

Equipped with LiDAR and thermal imaging, ForgeCell perpetually patrols a factory floor. Its genius lies in predictive intervention. It can identify a slight overheating bearing in a CNC machine before it fails, dispatch a smaller drone to inspect a hard-to-reach conveyor assembly, and simultaneously guide AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) around a spill it detected. At its demo, it seamlessly recalibrated an entire production line’s workflow in real-time after simulating a component shortage, optimising the remaining robots for a new task priority. ForgeCell is the central nervous system for the “dark factory,” promising not just efficiency but resilient, self-sustaining manufacturing ecosystems.

3. Lumen: The Personal Chef & Nutritional AI (Samsung BotCare)

Samsung’s BotCare line has focused on health, but with Lumen, they’ve masterfully combined culinary art, precision robotics, and personalised wellness. Lumen is a compact, countertop marvel with six ultra-dexterous, tool-swapping arms that work in a harmonious ballet.

You simply place grocery items in its smart fridge/pantry module. Lumen’s cameras identify them, assessing freshness. Its AI then cross-references your health data (with permission), dietary goals, and even your calendar’s stress levels to propose meals. Watching it prepare a customised, restaurant-quality salmon quinoa bowl while simultaneously cleaning its utensils and packaging leftovers was mesmerising. It goes beyond cooking; it’s a holistic nutrition management system. For individuals with specific health needs or busy families seeking healthy, automated meals, Lumen is a revolutionary answer, turning the kitchen into a personalised wellness hub.

4. K9 Sentinel: The Multi-Mission Emergency Responder (Boston Dynamics)

Boston Dynamics’ Spot has been a workhorse, but the K9 Sentinel is its evolutionary successor, purpose-built for public safety and disaster response. Ruggedised and weatherproof, the Sentinel moves with legendary Boston Dynamics's agility but is now a mobile sensor and first-response platform.

Its standout feature is a modular “Mission Pod” back attachment. At the demo, one pod was a deployable medivac kit, allowing the bot to navigate rubble, reach a simulated casualty, and provide a human responder with remote vital sign data and two-way communication. Another pod contained advanced gas and radiation sensors, autonomously mapping a hazardous zone. Most impressively, a swarming AI demo showed three Sentinels collaboratively searching a dark, smoke-filled structure, building a shared 3D map and pinpointing hazards. The K9 Sentinel transforms from a tool into a force multiplier for heroes, taking on the most dangerous initial reconnaissance to save human lives.

5. Nimo: The Compact Personal Projector & Assistant (Cobalt)

In a sea of humanoids, Nimo stood out by rejecting the human form altogether. This small, rolling sphere from startup Cobalt is designed for the personal workspace. It parks discreetly on your desk until activated. With a button press, it projects a crisp, touch-sensitive 24-inch display onto any flat surface.

But Nimo is more than a portable monitor. Its built-in AI is a meeting and workflow powerhouse. It can autonomously join video calls, frame you perfectly, transcribe conversations in real-time, and highlight action items. After the call, it can roll to a whiteboard, scan and digitise notes, and integrate them into your project management software. It’s a hyper-mobile, all-in-one digital workstation that physically moves with you through your tasks. Nimo reimagines the PC, breaking it free from a fixed location and making the workspace itself intelligent, adaptive, and mobile.

The Invasion is an Integration

The overarching theme of CES 2026’s robot invasion was not displacement, but contextual integration. These top picks aren’t isolated marvels; they signal a future where robots fill specific, valuable niches—as empathetic allies, resilient industrial systems, wellness curators, life-saving partners, and productivity catalysts. The hardware is reaching maturity, but the real dazzle is in the AI: the social intelligence of Astra, the predictive logic of ForgeCell, the personalised care of Lumen. The machines have arrived, and they’re here not to conquer, but to collaborate. The future they’re building looks less like an invasion and more like a partnership.