> At a Glance
> – Razer’s Project AVA is now a 5.5-inch holographic anime assistant that tracks your face and screen
> – An’An, a touch-sensitive AI panda, gives 24-hour emotional support to seniors
> – A $500 AI-powered ice maker claims the quietest nugget-ice production on the market
> – Why it matters: These concepts show companies pushing AI into everyday objects-comfort, convenience, and privacy questions included
While tech titans flexed their muscles at CES 2026, the show’s buzz came from the bizarre: companion robots that watch you work, knives that vibrate 30,000 times a second, and lollipops that play Ice Spice inside your head. Below are the quirkiest launches turning heads on the Las Vegas floor.
Hologram Helpers & Furry Friends
Razer evolved last year’s esports coach into Project AVA, a desk-top hologram that can flip between the anime girl Kira or the brawny Zane. The 5.5-inch figure uses eye-tracking, lip-sync and constant camera monitoring to serve up gaming tips, calendar alerts and “personal advice,” though it’s still a concept.
Mind with Heart Robotics targets eldercare with An’An, an AI baby panda whose sensors respond to every stroke. It learns voices, remembers habits and reminds users about medications while reporting wellness data to caregivers.
Kitchen Tech Gets Weird
Seattle Ultrasonics brought an ultrasonic chef’s knife whose blade vibrates at more than 30 kHz. The maker claims the micro-movements glide through vegetables, meat or bread with almost zero resistance; you can’t feel, hear or see the motion. Pre-orders are open at $399.
GoveeLife’s Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro promises AI-quiet operation. Internal AI NoiseGuard predicts freeze-ups and defrosts early, cutting racket from the 6-minute, 60-pounds-per-day machine. It lands January 15 on Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and govee.com for $499.99.
Sound, Security & a Hormone Egg
Lollipop Star turns candy into headphones: suck on a fruit-flavored pop and bone-conduction tech beams Ice Spice (peach), Akon (blueberry) or Armani White (lime) straight to your inner ear.
Zeroth Robotics’ W1, a $4,999 WALL-E-like bot, patrols homes with 360° surveillance and smart-home alerts, then switches to campsite hauler, photographer and portable power pack-trash-compacting skills not included.
Mira’s $249 Ultra4 hormone monitor tests urine on a wand and delivers at-home readings for FSH, LH, E3G and PdG, flagging six fertile days and potential reproductive-health issues such as PCOS or menopause.
Key Takeaways
- AI is invading form factors nobody asked for-desk pets, ice buckets, candy.
- Prices run from $249 (Mira) to $4,999 (W1), making novelty a luxury.
- Most devices remain concepts or pre-orders, so real-world impact is TBD.
Love them or side-eye them, these oddities prove CES still rewards imagination over convention.
