CES 2018 Las Vegas: Robotics taking over your life

World
Europe

2018 is the year of machines as robots are dominating daily life - from education to health sectors. Also at the CES in Las Vegas is CGTN's Phil Lavelle, who tells us more about the advancements in the robotic world.

Never mind the humans at CES. 2018 is the year of the machines.

PHIL LAVELLE LAS VEGAS Some say robots will take over the world one day. They're certainly taking over CES this year in all shapes and sizes.

And with all different intentions and moves. Because we all need a twerking robot in our lives, right? Or a big owl. Actually, the big one is just for show. This is what Chinese company Ling is releasing. Luca is all about education. She does what some parents never have time to do. She reads to the kids.

LEENO YOUNG LING TECHNOLOGY "You just simply put a picture book in front of Luca and she can read it out loud, any picture book for children."

"We think two to eight years old is very essential age for children to foster a habit and reading is a very good habit. We want to help kids foster a good habit of reading."

And staying with education.

KELLY RYOO CODING PLAY "He teaches children aged 4-6 how to program."

Albert's a fairly simple idea. But envisioned for a changing world.

PHIL LAVELLE LAS VEGAS So this is teaching children a very important life skill for the future?

KELLY RYOO CODING PLAY "Yep and because this is only level one, we don't teach swift or java or python - we are teaching them skills on how to run into a problem and turn left, you run over someone, what do you do then? We kind teach them those life skills."

The idea is that the robots don't just do cool things. But many of them, intended to enrich our lives. Sure, Amy may seem nothing more than a glorified electronic maid. But she could have uses too in medicine.

ALEX YU AMY ROBOTICS "By using this robot in hospitals, doctors don't need to go to wards in person. Using the telepresence functionality, doctors can control the robot and go through wards talking to patients. And it save a lot of time and energy."

And the brains behind things like this? AI - or Artificial Intelligence really driving the show here. Baidu showing off its proud AI: Autonomous vehicles. Chinese made, but here to take on the American dominance of Google and Uber in this field.

MIKE MURPHY QUARTZ "A lot of Chinese companies, their approach has always been that we'll build it and see if there's a market for it and if there isn't we'll shift. And there has been interest. Just because these companies have started to build these kinds of drones, or robots, whether there is actually a market, I don't think it's clear yet."

Of course, CES will always be a mix of the genuinely useful. Underwater drones, helping us explore places that still remain unknown. And the surreal - like the dog that isn't actually a real dog. But that's part of the fun. As you walk - or slide around - and see what the future holds. Phil Lavelle, CGTN at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.