The robots of CES 2023

Robots have been on the primary expo flooring at CES this yr, and these weren’t simply cool robots for advertising and marketing functions. I’ve been monitoring robots at CES for greater than 10 years, watching the transition from robotic toys to actual robots. Increasing prominence has been given to self-driving automobiles, LiDARs and eVTOL drones, however, in my thoughts it was actually the inclusion of John Deere and agricultural robots final yr that confirmed that CES was incorporating extra business, extra actual machines, not simply devices.
In reality, in keeping with the organizing affiliation CTA or the Consumer Technology Association, lately CES now not stands for the Consumer Electronics Show. CES now simply stands for CES, one of many world’s largest know-how expos.

Eve from Halodi Robotics shakes fingers at CES 2023 with Karinne Ramirez-Amaro, affiliate professor at Chalmers University of Technology and head of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society’s Women in Engineering chapter. (Image supply: Andra Keay)

The very first robotic I noticed was Eve from Halodi Robotics, exhibiting within the ADT Commercial sales space. I’m a giant fan of this firm. Not solely have they got nice robotics know-how, which could be very protected and collaborative, however I’ve watched them go from an angel funded startup to their first industrial deployments, offering 140 robots to ADT. One of their secrets and techniques has been spending the final yr working carefully with ADT to finetune the primary manufacturing options of Eve, specializing in indoor safety and dealing alongside folks. In the long run, Halodi has potential for a lot of different purposes together with eldercare.

Another robotic firm (and robotic) that I’m a giant fan of is Labrador Robotics, and their cellular tray fetching robotic for eldercare. Labrador exhibited their cellular robotic within the AARP Innovation Lab pavilion, and are rolling out robots each in homes and in aged care amenities. There are two models pictured and the peak of the platform can elevate or decrease relying on whether or not it wants to succeed in a countertop or fridge unit to retrieve objects, like drinks and drugs, or whether or not it must decrease to change into a mattress or chair aspect desk. These models may be commanded by voice, or pill, or scheduled to journey round designated ‘bus stops’, utilizing superior localization and mapping. The crew at Labrador have a wealth of expertise at different shopper robotics corporations.

Two Retrievers from Labrador Robotics within the AARP Innovation Lab Pavilion at CES 2023. (Image supply: Andra Keay)

I first met Sampriti Battacharya, pictured beneath together with her autonomous electrical boat, when she was nonetheless doing her robotics PhD at MIT, dreaming about beginning her personal firm. Five quick years later, she’s now the proud founding father of Navier with not one however two working prototypes of the ‘boat of the future’. The Navier 30 is a 30’ lengthy electrical clever hydrofoil with a variety of 75 nautical miles and a prime velocity of 35 knots. Not solely is the electrical hydrofoil 90% extra power environment friendly than conventional boats but it surely eliminates sea illness with an excellent easy experience. Sampriti’s planning to revolutionize public transport for cities that span waterways, like San Francisco or Boston or New York.

Navier’s ‘boat of the future’ with founder Sampriti Battacharya, plus an additional stowaway quadruped robotic from Unitree. Image supply: Andra Keay

Another quickly evolving robotics firm is Yarbo. Starting out as a prototype snow blowing robotic, after 5 years of stable R&D, Snowbot has advanced into the Yarbo modular household of good yard instruments. Imagine a sensible docking cellular base which may be turned from a garden mower to a snow blower or a leaf blower. It can navigate autonomously, and it’s electrical after all.

And these robotics corporations are making waves at CES. I met French startup Acwa Robotics earlier in 2022 and was so impressed that I nominated them as an IEEE Entrepreneurship Star. Water utilities all over the world are confronted with getting old and broken infrastructure, inaccessible underground pipes, chargeable for big quantities of water loss, street and constructing harm. Acwa’s clever robotic travels contained in the pipes with out stopping water move and gives speedy exactly localized inspection knowledge that may pinpoint leaks, cracks and deterioration. Acwa was nominated for honors within the Smart Cities class and in addition gained CES Best of Innovation Award.

Acwa Robotics and CES 2023 Best of Innovation Awards (Image Source: Acwa Robotics)

Some different robotics corporations and startups value taking a look at have been Apex.ai, Caterpillar, Unitree, Bosch Rexroth, Waymo, Zoox, Whill, Meropy, Artemis Robotics, Fluent Pet and Orangewood. Let me know who I missed! According to the app, 278 corporations tagged themselves as Robotics, 73 as Drones, 514 as Vehicle Tech, and 722 as Startups, though I’d say the general variety of exhibitors and attendees was down on earlier years though there have been undoubtedly extra robots.

tags: c-Events