We caught up with the Realbotix robots at CES 2026 and met the newest member of their character lineup, David.
Read more about Realbotix on CNET.com
We Interviewed Aria, a $175K Almost-Human Robot
0:00 Introduction to Realbotix
0:11 Meet David: The New Modular Robot
0:33 Meet Arya: Conference Chic and AI Personality
0:44 Emotional Expressions and Modular Hardware
1:00 Advanced AI Vision: Interpreting Human Emotion
1:24 Creating Emotional Connections and Memory Systems
1:54 Data Privacy and Custom Memory Management
2:13 The RVX App: Multi-LLM Integration (Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.)
2:44 Language Translation and Hospitality Use Cases
3:00 Demonstration: Japanese Translation for Chicken Parmesan
3:19 Why Stationary Robots Beat Humanoids for Utility
4:11 Pricing and Availability: $95,000 Modular Robots
4:30 Closing Thoughts: Customization and Future of AI Companions
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#robotics #humanoidrobot #robot #companion #aicompanion #ces2026
@jsinclair39
January 7, 2026 at 6:01 pm
Coming to a tech company’s lobby later this year.
@RayzaNC
January 7, 2026 at 6:38 pm
Sexbots
@netscrooge
January 7, 2026 at 6:07 pm
I would prefer a video-based, internally-projected face over these super-fake rubber faces. Maybe someday when the tech is much better, but, “no thanks” at this point.
@3D_Visions1
January 7, 2026 at 6:13 pm
what could possibly be the end goal of this
@roanbonely
January 7, 2026 at 6:23 pm
Ah… nothing like tech companies burning cash on a “talking” (its really text to speech 🙃) robot with botox and lip filler less articulation than a barbie doll even in its face 😂that has a sharp sense of humor..???? It can read, can see colours and.. but can it fold my laundry or vacuum my whole house? NOOO our clients want a doll that is plugged in the wall to watch them 24/7 because wAlkiNg bbreAkS the iLluSiOn offf ReaLity 💅… what innovation
@garydecarli2478
January 7, 2026 at 8:16 pm
Obviously have no futuristic vision. They are companions that can be helpful in senior living, hospitals, brand ambassadors, tutors in schools, etc. I don’t need a robot to fold a towel in two minutes. You are going to miss out on the future with that attitude for sure.
@Kung.Pao.Kitty.
January 7, 2026 at 6:28 pm
Can I have one that looks like Henry Cavill? 😏
@gerary
January 7, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Why does a robot need eyeglasses?
@CNET
January 7, 2026 at 6:34 pm
It’s a vibe
@CNET
January 7, 2026 at 6:33 pm
Read more about Realbotix on CNET.com: We Interviewed Aria, a $175K Almost-Human Robot
@deelo721
January 7, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Destroy it !!!!!
@dsaragosti
January 7, 2026 at 7:17 pm
Wow the vision system is going to be a game changer ! The bots will be able to recognize you as you communicate. This is a few tweaks away from feeling 90% real
@very911
January 7, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Is this a joke?
@HiFiInsider
January 7, 2026 at 7:31 pm
reserving my cheeky comments. lol….
@livealatte
January 7, 2026 at 7:54 pm
let’s not pretend that literally anyone would want to speak to this thing in service industry situations 😂 another robot to yell “operator” at until a real person comes out.
@gazablacks6847
January 7, 2026 at 8:02 pm
ROBOTS DON’T NEED HUMAN FACES!!!
@garydecarli2478
January 7, 2026 at 8:18 pm
They do when they start entering schools, hospitals, and senior living. NO CYBORGS ALLOWED!
@USBEN.
January 7, 2026 at 8:12 pm
3:31 that is a better skin for cyber beings.
@muzzy996
January 7, 2026 at 8:13 pm
Mouth movements are totally janked to the point where I am left wondering what’s the point of these things. A simple walk up kiosk with a touchscreen interface would suffice in this situation and accomplish basically the same thing.
@CtrlSaltDelete
January 7, 2026 at 8:15 pm
0:56 has to be a new reaction image / gif
@J-mo74
January 7, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Omg…now I know what will be in my nightmares tonight