CES 2026 robotics recap; industry experts make predictions



In Episode 226 of The Robot Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the major robotics news of the week. They discuss the latest robotics news and highlights from CES 2026. Steve attended the event, formerly the Consumer Electronics Show, and shares his assessment of products demonstrated last week in Las Vegas.

Also on the podcast this week, we hear from a couple of industry leaders with their predictions for the year ahead. Chris Matthieu, vice president of the developer ecosystem at RealSense, discusses the importance of vision, perception, and AI for robotics in 2026.

Ahti Heinen, co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, also shares his perspective about robotics this year.

Chris Matthieu is a serial entrepreneur and active developer who has built and sold five companies in the areas of communications, IoT, and decentralized supercomputing. At RealSense, which spun out of Intel last year, he focuses on AI, robotics, and stereo depth technologies. Matthieu is a frequent speaker at robotics and emerging technology conferences.

Ahti Heinla is the co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, a leader in autonomous, AI-powered robots that conduct deliveries in real-world environments. One of the original engineers behind Skype’s billion-dollar success, he later made a quiet pivot into robotics, spending the past decade advancing practical, consumer-facing AI.

Under Heinla’s leadership, Starship has completed more than 9 million autonomous deliveries with a fleet of over 2,700 SAE Level 4 robots navigating streets, sidewalks, weather, and people without human intervention.

Show timeline

5:21 – Chris Matthieu, VP, developer ecosystem, at RealSense
9:04 – CES 2026 recap with editor Steve Crowe
52:35 – Ahti Heinen, co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies
54:21 – News of the week

News of the week

Mobileye to acquire Mentee Robotics in bid to dominate physical AI

Mobileye, a leader in computer vision and machine learning technology for the automotive industry, announced plans to acquire Mentee Robotics, which is developing a vertically integrated humanoid robot, for $900 million. The proposed deal highlights a deep connection between the two organizations: Mobileye co-founder and CEO Amnon Shashua is also a co-founder of Mentee.

Shashua has maintained a measured outlook regarding the go-to-market strategy for the MenteeBot system, citing the current developmental state of humanoid technology. According to the company’s roadmap, production is slated to begin in 2027 alongside partner Aumovio with the long-term goal of reaching household deployments by 2030.

Oshkosh acquires core technology developed by Canvas

Meanwhile, Oshkosh has introduced and updated HARR-E — Hailable Autonomous Refuse Robot, Electric — a system designed for on-demand refuse collection that residents can summon via smartphone or virtual assistant.

Canvas and Oshkosh cited their six-year partnership focusing on innovation across the robotics and automation sectors. Canvas previously developed the 1200CX, a worker-controlled robot capable of precisely spraying layers of joint compound onto walls in a single step.

Amazon acquires Rightbot, adds to delivery and packaging innovation team

Amazon has acquired Rightbot Technologies, which developed a robot for truck unloading. In 2023, Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund led an investment of $4 million into Rightbot as it emerged from stealth.

There are a number of competitors in this space, including Boston Dynamics, Slip Robotics, Pickle Robot, Anyware Robotics, and Dexterity. It remains to be seen whether Amazon continues development of a competing system and how it incorporates Rightbot’s employees into its Robotics Delivery and Packaging Innovation team.