17 weird, wonderful and terrifying robots we saw at CES 2025 — from a humanlike android companion to a robotic mixologist

LAS VEGAS — Not only have tens of thousands of people descended on Las Vegas for CES 2025, but numerous robots of all shapes and sizes are at the international tech event too. From therapeutic machines to robot dogs and everything in between, CES 2025 proved that robotics has come on in leaps and bounds in recent months.

Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) and engineering advancements, all kinds of cute, amusing, helpful, unusual — and terrifying — machines are now emerging. These are the highlights that Live Science picked out at this year's show.

1. Pixar-looking robotic lamp

If you crossed the iconic Pixar lamp with a stylish, wooden side table, you might get something that looks a bit like Mi-Mo. Developed by Jizai, Mi-Mo is the first iteration of the company's general-purpose customizable AI robot, with standard and pro models available. We spotted the little robot waving using one of its wooden legs and rotating its lamp face — but it can do so much more, thanks to several layers of AI software that enable the machine to adapt to its surroundings. Later this year, Jizai will release a toolkit to enable developers to build apps and software for the bot, before the company begins releasing customizable hardware. But it will set you back around $30,000 for the more advanced version.

2. A droid that can help at home

We are beginning to see more and more robots that are designed to perform tasks at home, and R2D3 is among the most advanced we've encountered to date. This droid includes AI that enables the robot to learn over time; different hardware that can be swapped, added and removed; as well as sensors that help the robot adapt to its surroundings.

3. Pool-cleaning robot that returns home to charge

Although there are plenty of intriguing pool-cleaning robots out there, the Wybot S2 Pro model is the first that's configured to return to its dock and charge wirelessly. The dock can be fitted onto the side of your pool, with the Wybot attaching itself to the unit when required. When its battery level dips below 20%, the roving robot automatically searches for its charging dock and begins to recharge — filling its battery tank up in three hours and lasting 3.5 hours between charges.

4. A spherical drone that can roll (and also fly)

Unlike most small commercial drones, which generally have four propellers in a particular arrangement above the body, HAGAMOSphere is a device with eight propellers mounted on a cubic frame and placed in a spherical chassis. The drone not only flies horizontally and vertically in any direction, but it can also roll and rotate on the ground. Its creators hope to see it deployed in various disaster-recovery scenarios in the future.

5. A humanlike android that wants to get to know you

Meet Aria — a humanlike, AI-powered android that's designed specifically to get to know you and become a companion. RealRobotix engineers used several layers of proprietary AI, combined with hardware designed to make the android as human-like as possible, to create a robot they think can bridge the gap between humanoid robots and humans. Although not quite an artificial general intelligence (AGI) agent, Aria is designed to be context-aware and can learn more about you over time — making it ideal either for commercial usage in customer-facing roles or as a romantic companion, representatives told Live Science.

6. The robot vacuum with so much under the hood

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You could be forgiven for thinking this is just another robot vacuum cleaner at first glance, but popping out from the center are robot appendages — and even a display that disguises itself as the robot's face — that enable it to do so much more. The SwitchBot K20+ Pro can perform multiple tasks in the home thanks to its robotic arm and finger grips — from cleaning up trash to serving as a humidifier.

7. The robot turtle that wants to clean up the ocean

BeatBot, the creator of pool-cleaning robots, unveiled its robotic turtle concept at CES 2025. The bot can be released into vast bodies of water to help purify them and to conduct research. The solar-powered robotic turtle is a relatively small unit — around the size of a robot vacuum cleaner — and is designed to help resolve ecological challenges.

8. Samsung's Star Wars-style home droid

It's hard to believe that Ballie — the concept AI-powered robot that looks a bit like a Star Wars droid — is already five years old. But the bright yellow, rolling smart home companion is finally getting released commercially this year, Samsung representatives announced during a press conference at CES. Responding to "Hey, Ballie," the robot comes with plenty of sensors, a projector and AI features that are designed to help you complete daily tasks, such as giving you directions. It also has a 2K camera on its rear and a 4K camera on its front.

9. Unitree's backflipping quadruped

The maker of one of the fastest humanoid robots in the world came to CES 2025 in Las Vegas to showcase its latest models, including a rather eerie quadruped robot — commonly known as a "robot dog" — that impressed crowds with its acrobatics and agility. In one trick, the robot stood up on its hind legs like a meerkat and scuttled around the show floor surveying the gathered attendees.

10. A tiny robot dog that can teach you coding skills

This robotic canine looks more like a dog than other eerie quadrupeds we've seen, but it's so small you can hold it in the palm of your hand. The tiny robot caught our eye dancing in response to voice commands, but it is also fully programmable, company Davy Robot says, and could be a way to teach youngsters how to code.

11. A fantastical android with an animated face

The Mirokaï, a 4.3 foot-tall (1.3 meters) robot that moves using a rollable ball rather than legs, is among the most eye-catching robots at CES — not only for its bright colors but also its interactive, cartoonish face. The unusual design incorporates a digital rather than physical face, and its creator Enchanted says it can navigate a space autonomously and become familiar with new people and environments.

12. A robot created with your smartphone

The engineers at Tangible Future who created LOOI say this robot is a "visitor from a distant galaxy" — and its cheery expression, using just two eyes to communicate different moods, evokes a similar charm to Disney's WALL-E. You can connect your smartphone to this device to be its main user interface, and the built-in ChatGPT engine lets you interact with it and play games.

13. A furry creature that hooks onto your bag

This adorable (or slightly unsettling) miniature robot can cling onto your bag and interact with people around you. Mirumi resembles a sloth and uses a built-in measurement unit and distance sensor to blink its googly eyes and rotate its head, depending on who is near.

14. A robotic coffee machine

This robotic all-in-one coffee machine did impress us initially — especially its ability to examine any photo and translate it into intricate coffee art. But the whole process, from choosing your drink to taking your first sip, takes a long time, and the machine malfunctioned during the demo when it ran out of water. So a good old coffee machine — or even just relying on a barista — is probably a safer bet if you don't mind a more classic design on your cappuccino.

15. ADAM — the robotic mixologist

The robotic bartender ADAM uses AI to mix the perfect drink, scientists at Richtech Robotics say. It can be configured to make coffee or boba tea (or bubble tea) too. This is thanks to its software that includes an extensive drinks library. It also interacts with customers, company representatives say, and provides drink recommendations.

16. An autonomous wheel that transforms objects into robots

Although technically not a robot, this moving box caught our eye as it rolled through the halls at CES 2025. This was all made possible thanks to wheel.me — the world's first autonomous wheel, which is capable of turning any object into a robot. All you would need to do is choose an object, mount the wheels, configure the robot with software and set it loose.

17. Arobot that can beat you at chess (and other games)

This chess-playing robot is considerably smaller than Deep Blue — the huge AI supercomputer that famously beat Garry Kasparov in 1996. But this AI-powered game-playing robot can master chess, Go and checkers (depending on the model). Its maker, SenseRobot, hopes to mass produce its mobile game-playing robots for kids who want to learn or as a training partner for professionals. The robot's Apex Duel mode puts users up against an opponent with an ELO3200 skill level in chess — higher than all world champions, with no human going above 3,000 ELO points.