Here are the robots on the virtual stage at CES 2021

This story is part of THESE, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the hottest gadgets from fully virtual CES 2021.

This year’s all-digital CES will be tough for everyone involved, but it can be even more difficult if you’re a robot.

Bots can pique people’s interest through print or video, but there’s nothing quite like showing people what you can do in person to really make a great first impression. And the robots you meet at CES never fail to impress.

I’ve been delighted with robots since I was a little girl, and if I could go back and tell my young self about the interactions I have had with robots in the Las Vegas living room over the past few years, these stories would blow my little mind. I played ping pong and Cards Against Humanity with robots, I was pizza served by a, and last year at CES I met a Labrador puppy snoring robot that was so realistic it made me want to take it home and love it like i do my cat.

CES 2021 will be very different from previous years. With no opportunities to meet spectators on the show floor, as the show is being held only as a virtual event, all of those robots ready to show the world what they can do will have to do it online. That doesn’t mean we’re less excited to find out all about them – but the impact is mitigated by having you view their activities via a Zoom feed on your monitor.

Here’s what to expect (check back regularly for new additions):

Robots to protect us

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that sanitation and hygiene are key to keeping people safe. It has also shown us that there can be jobs that are better off with technology to help humans stay safe.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging around the world, it’s no surprise that this year at CES, several companies are planning to show robots capable of cleaning surfaces.

One of these droids is Coro-Bot, an “antivirus disinfection robot” created by Hills Engineering in South Korea. The robot has autonomous driving capabilities, which allows it to move independently in the environments. It uses its flexible arms to identify areas to be cleaned and sterilizes them with ultraviolet light. It also contains an air circulator which it says kills the airborne coronavirus and other viruses using a far infrared ceramic filter. It’s easy to imagine robots like these being used in hospitals and other environments where making sure there are no signs of coronavirus is imperative.

LG has been working on a similar robot, which it plans to unveil at CES, which emits ultraviolet rays to disinfect high-traffic and high-traffic areas. Again, the robot can move around autonomously, navigating around furniture to clean an entire room. It is designed for hospitality, education, business, retail and restaurant use, as well as transportation

“Whether they are hotel guests, students in the classroom, or customers of restaurants and other businesses, they can rest assured that LG’s autonomous UV robot will help reduce their exposure to bacteria and germs. harmful, ”Michael Kosla, vice president of LG Business Solutions USA, said in a statement.

Like LG, Ubtech is a company that goes up to CES every year with new robots to show off, and it will be bringing its own disinfection robot to this year’s show. The Adibot robotic system comprises two robots – the larger Adibot-A and the smaller mobile Adibot-S – both of which use UV to disinfect surfaces. Ubtech has previously announced pricing for the two droids, which cost $ 40,000 and $ 20,000 respectively.

Robots to entertain and educate

If you keep an eye on the world of robotics, you might have spied on Moxie in the past year or so. This friendly-faced teal robot created by startup Embodied was recently announced as one of Time’s best inventions of 2020. Additionally, it was listed as a CES 2021 Innovation Award winner.

This companion robot helps children develop social, emotional and cognitive skills through daily play-based learning and educational content delivery. Best of all, it was built with input from educators and child development experts, and Embodied clearly took safety very seriously. If you’ve struggled with very little home schooling this year, Moxie may be just what you’ve been looking for to lend a hand.

From Japan, Yukai Engineering always brings fun to CES with their adorable household robots – one of which is a cushion with a robotic tail. This year, at the show, the company presents the Little Qoobo, an identical but smaller sibling to its much-loved animated cusion, with an updated version of its Bocco Emo emotional companion robot at home.

Vanguard Industries will also be exhibiting from Japan, and we very much hope the company takes the opportunity to introduce their adorable Moflin pet AI robot to the world.

Much like a little gray guinea pig, it’s the closest thing we’ve seen to a robot that seems appropriate for anyone newborn or older (it’s dinky with a really floof. soft). Each Moflin develops an individual personality over time and can express emotions through movement and sound. He’s a robot we’re really sad not to meet in person.

Robots that eliminate manual labor

One of the biggest names in agriculture, John Deere has been a big presence in recent years at CES by bringing its iconic and eye-catching green machines to the show. This year, the company received a CES Innovation Award for the robotic capabilities of its X-Series combines. With cameras that allow farmers to see directly inside grain tanks, computer vision, Autonomous driving capabilities and machine-to-machine communication in the field, the X series must be among the biggest robots to win the award. The company is already giving select journalists for a virtual CES experience merchandise.

Daesung’s Hive Controller is another robot designed to help those who work outdoors. This robot is all about extracting honey, removing the honeycomb from a beehive – a typically lengthy process performed by two to five skilled people – in about a minute. With bees in danger and honey reaching superfood status, any robot that helps the honey industry thrive will be welcomed by us.