home automation
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LG’s CLOid Robot: A Step Towards Zero Labor Homes
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LG's new home robot, CLOid, showcased at CES, aims to revolutionize household chores by performing tasks like folding laundry and making breakfast autonomously. Equipped with cameras, sensors, and a vision language model, CLOid can navigate its environment and respond to verbal commands, similar to a more advanced Siri. Despite its potential, CLOid's current performance appears slow and limited, raising questions about its readiness for commercial release. The robot is part of LG's broader vision for a "Zero Labor Home," integrating with other AI-powered smart home products to automate domestic tasks, although its availability to the public remains uncertain. This matters because it highlights the ongoing development and challenges in creating effective domestic robots that could significantly reduce the burden of household chores, transforming daily life through automation.
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Samsung’s Ballie Robot Shelved Indefinitely
Read Full Article: Samsung’s Ballie Robot Shelved Indefinitely
Samsung's anticipated home robot, Ballie, which was expected to be released in the summer of 2025, has been indefinitely shelved as of 2026. Initially promised to offer features like conversational interactions and smart home management, Ballie has become an internal innovation platform rather than a consumer product. Samsung's decision to delay the release may be due to concerns about the robot's reliability and market interest, as well as a strategic shift towards integrating Ballie's features into other products. This reflects a broader industry trend where companies are reassessing the viability and consumer demand for AI-driven home robots.
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Roborock’s Saros Rover: Stair-Climbing Vacuum
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Roborock introduced the Saros Rover at CES 2026, a groundbreaking robot vacuum equipped with articulating legs that enable it to climb stairs and clean them, addressing a long-standing limitation of robot vacuums. The Rover's legs move fluidly, allowing it to navigate stairs by lifting its body and pivoting to vacuum each step, although it operates slowly and cautiously. While still in development and lacking a mopping system, the Rover represents a significant evolution in robotic cleaning technology, hinting at a future where robot vacuums can access every room in a house, including those with complex staircases. This advancement matters because it marks a step towards more autonomous and versatile home cleaning robots, potentially leading to fully capable humanoid home robots.
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Roborock’s First US Robot Lawn Mower Launch
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Roborock is introducing its first robot lawn mower in the US with the RockMow X1 LiDAR, which features autonomous navigation, all-wheel drive, and 360-degree 3D scanning through LiDAR and VSLAM technology. Capable of handling slopes up to 80 percent and obstacles up to 3.1 inches, it can mow up to half an acre per day, although this is less than the capacity of its predecessor, the RockMow Z1. The launch follows Roborock's previous expansion into robot lawn mowers and will see the RockMow X1 LiDAR competing with other similar products in the US market. This matters as it represents the growing trend of automation in lawn care, potentially transforming how homeowners maintain their yards.
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Aqara’s Smart Home Innovations at CES
Read Full Article: Aqara’s Smart Home Innovations at CES
Aqara is making strides in the smart home industry with a range of innovative products introduced at CES. Highlights include a smart lock that unlocks as the user approaches, a thermostat with Apple integration for energy efficiency, and a Matter-enabled camera with advanced tracking features. The Camera Hub G350 and Thermostat Hub W200 serve as Matter controllers, supporting Aqara's vision for "Spatial Intelligence" to manage both Aqara and Matter-compatible devices. These advancements aim to enhance home automation and intelligence, leveraging AI for a seamless user experience. The smart lock is priced at $269.99, while pricing for other products is yet to be announced. Why this matters: Aqara's innovations highlight the growing trend towards more integrated and intelligent smart home solutions, offering users enhanced convenience and energy efficiency.
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Narwal’s AI-Powered Vacuums Monitor Pets & Find Jewelry
Read Full Article: Narwal’s AI-Powered Vacuums Monitor Pets & Find Jewelry
Robot vacuum maker Narwal has introduced its latest smart vacuum cleaners at CES, featuring AI capabilities for monitoring pets, locating valuable items, and alerting users about misplaced toys. The flagship Flow 2 model boasts a rounded design with easy-lift tanks and utilizes dual 1080p RGB cameras to map environments and recognize objects using AI. It offers specialized modes like pet care, baby care, and AI floor tag, which allow it to monitor pets, operate quietly near cribs, and identify valuable items like jewelry. Additionally, Narwal showcased a handheld vacuum with UV-C sterilization and a cordless vacuum with a 360-degree swivel and an auto-empty station. This matters because it highlights the integration of AI in household devices, enhancing convenience and efficiency in everyday cleaning tasks.
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GE Lighting’s Affordable Smart Shades
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GE Lighting has introduced new smart shades priced at $299.99, offering a more affordable option compared to other brands like Lutron, which starts at $399. These shades are designed with hidden mounting hardware for a sleek appearance and are available in white or gray with silver trim, offering light filtering or full blackout options. They are compatible with the Matter protocol, ensuring easy integration with modern smart home systems, and come with a remote for those with older setups. This matters because it provides a cost-effective solution for consumers looking to enhance their smart home experience with motorized shades.
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Mui Board Gen 2: Sleep Tracking & Gesture Control
Read Full Article: Mui Board Gen 2: Sleep Tracking & Gesture Control
The Mui Board Gen 2 is a smart home controller designed to blend seamlessly into the bedroom environment, featuring a soothing wooden design that uses millimeter-wave sensors for sleep tracking and gesture control. The Mui Calm Sleep Platform can monitor sleep states by detecting changes in posture and breathing without the need for wearable devices, and it aims to enhance sleep quality by adjusting lighting and offering presleep stretching routines. While the accuracy of this technology is still under scrutiny, the platform also promises to respond to vocal cues of tiredness or stress and encourage rest. Gesture control will also be available, allowing users to interact with the device from a distance, with these features expected to be released later this year. This matters because it represents a shift towards more integrated and less intrusive smart home technologies that prioritize user comfort and well-being.
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Mammotion’s Luba 3 AWD: Lidar-Equipped Lawn Mower
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Mammotion has enhanced its flagship robotic lawnmower, the Luba 3 AWD, by integrating a lidar-equipped navigation system capable of creating a live 3D map of your yard with centimeter-level accuracy. This advanced system, part of Mammotion’s “Tri-Fusion” technology, combines lidar, geopositioning, and AI to improve navigation, allowing the mower to recognize over 300 obstacles, including pets and toys. The Luba 3 AWD also features dual 1080p cameras, a robust AI chip, and a cutting-edge geopositioning technology called NetRTK, which eliminates the need for physical base stations. Available for preorder in various regions, the Luba 3 AWD and its smaller counterpart, the Luba Mini 2 AWD, offer cutting-edge lawn maintenance solutions, with prices starting at $2,399 for the Luba 3 AWD and £1,399 for the Luba Mini 2 AWD. This matters as it represents a significant advancement in automated lawn care technology, offering more precise and efficient solutions for modern households.
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SwitchBot’s Onero H1: A New Era in Household Robotics
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SwitchBot is introducing the Onero H1, a humanoid household robot designed to handle various chores like filling a coffee machine, making breakfast, and folding laundry. Unlike a full humanoid, the Onero features articulated arms and hands, and a wheeled base for mobility, utilizing multiple cameras and a vision-language-action model to adapt and perform tasks. This development highlights the ongoing debate in household robotics between single-purpose and generalist robots, with the Onero aiming to integrate with existing smart home ecosystems. While promising, the effectiveness of such robots in real-world scenarios remains to be seen, especially in homes with stairs or other obstacles. The Onero H1 will soon be available for preorder, though pricing details are yet to be announced. This matters because it represents a significant step towards practical, adaptable household robots that could potentially transform how we manage daily chores, balancing between specialized devices and multi-task systems.