Realbotix goals to make its humanoid robots as human as potential, and I had a possibility at CES 2026 to interview them — together with its new man robotic named David.
Final yr, my video on Realbotix was the most-viewed video I produced at CES. The corporate’s humanoid robots stand in place on a rolling stand that additionally incorporates their battery. Not a foul strategy to cover a possible illusion-breaking battery bulge and a robotic stroll.
These robots aren’t designed to go upstairs or stroll round. They’re meant to face in place and discuss to folks. Perhaps from behind a concierge desk, possibly at an data sales space giving out directions, or possibly in a bunch dwelling protecting folks firm.
As somebody who stands in place and talks for a dwelling, I used to be a bit freaked out, particularly after I requested the robotic to ship the video’s ending.
Realbotix’s new man robotic David.
Making an attempt to imitate human kind, emotion and facial actions inevitably means Realbotix has to cost instantly via the Uncanny Valley, a time period used to explain the purpose at which one thing seems human, however not fairly, making a visceral feeling of unease.
In my view, Realbotix nonetheless has a methods to go earlier than the corporate achieves the phantasm of realness it says it is chasing. Nevertheless, I’ll say there have been some instances in the course of the interview when the robotic appeared to lock eyes with me, and it was a really weird feeling.
Realbotix is creating a imaginative and prescient system that may observe folks round. Nevertheless, it wasn’t within the robots I used to be interviewing, so these moments of eye contact have been simply an “optical phantasm,” based on Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel.
To see my interview with the robots of Realbotix (and the corporate’s CEO), try the video on this article.
