In-person attendance at CES 2022 may not have bounced back from last year’s digital-only event, but the presence in the robot was more impressive than ever.
As buzzwords like Metaverse and NFT threatened to claim the limelight, once again CES bots stole the show with gadgets ranging from human-like avatars to adorable munching creatures.
Here are the robots you need to know from this year’s show, starting with one of the scariest models we’ve seen: Ameca.
Ameca
Ameca is what sci-fi movies have taught us robots should look like – a robot-human hybrid that doesn’t quite look like it either.
By pairing human-like facial expressions with a plastic skull and gray skin, the designers of Ameca sought to create a realistic robot that isn’t as spooky as the realistic-looking. Mesmerizing robots the team also produces.
But if you’re still a little taken aback by the robot’s appearance, you don’t have to worry – at least for now.
The creators of Ameca – Engineered Arts – see its current design as something of a prototype. In one interview with CNet, Morgan Roe, COO at Engineered Arts, said it will be at least 10 years before an expressive robot like Ameca walks among us.
In 10 years, we could also see the partnership between Hyundai and Boston Dynamics bear fruit. Companies hope to expand the physical capabilities of our metaverse-filled future by using what they call metamobility systems.
To achieve this, the pair will create physical robot avatars that facilitate meaningful physical and digital interaction. In the Hyundai CES 2022 press conference, an example was given where a presenter could attend the US show in person but easily jump into the metaverse to feed and kiss his dog in South Korea by controlling his physical robot avatar.
We don’t know if we should be impressed or a little concerned with these development plans. While waiting for this nightmarish reality to take shape, we can at least let ourselves be appeased by the best gadget of CES 2022: the Amagami Ham Ham.
Ham Amagami Ham
We couldn’t create a robotics roundup for this year’s iteration of the Tech Expo without mentioning this weird companion that’s designed to playfully nibble on your finger.
Named after the chewing sound it makes, this cute, artificial creature was inspired by the biting game pets and babies use to communicate non-verbally. Amagami creator Ham Ham hopes his sweet nibbles relieve stress and create a sense of “Indescribable comfort”.
We didn’t have the chance to try the Amagami ham on our own, but it’s safe to say we’re intrigued. And while we’re not convinced we’ll enjoy having our finger chewed, we’re definitely up for giving it a try.
View & Spray
Before dismissing the CES 2022 robots as viral quirks to admire, many innovations were unveiled that demonstrated the usefulness of robotics.
Take one of the CES 2022 Best of Innovation award winners in the Robotics category: the See and Spray John Deere.
Announced in March 2021, See & Spray is still a revolutionary tool that will reduce the use of herbicides by farmers. By taking advantage of computer vision and machine learning, this smart sprayer can target weeds with herbicide exclusively. Tests have shown that it can reduce herbicide use by up to 80%.
It might not be as viral a sensation as Ameca or Amigami Ham Ham, but See & Spray is an incredibly useful device that can revolutionize farming practices – delivering huge benefits to both farmers and the community. environment.
Black bow
Beyond that, we have also seen several developments in robotics this year. The most impressive is the Leica BLK Arc, which also won a Best of Innovation award. It is not a robot but a laser scanner that provides a self-contained means of capturing 3D images of an environment.
The Arc BLK will allow robots to be even more efficient in environments where they may have to operate without a human companion, such as a disaster site that may be too dangerous for people to enter.
So while we’re sure CES 2023 will have some of its own spooky robots that will keep us awake at night, we might also see less scary models capitalizing on this year’s developments.
