Meet Your Potential New Household Helper

At CES 2026, SwitchBot turned heads with its Onero H1 robot - a compact, wheeled assistant designed to tackle those pesky chores we all love to hate. Unlike traditional humanoids that try (and often fail) to walk like us, this practical bot focuses on what really matters: getting things done around the house.

What Can It Actually Do?

The demonstration video shows Onero performing surprisingly human-like tasks: refilling coffee makers, preparing simple breakfasts, even folding laundry (though we'll believe that when we see it). Its 22 movable parts allow for impressive flexibility - just seven fewer than Boston Dynamics' famous Atlas robot in the upper body alone.

"We're not trying to recreate humans," SwitchBot seems to say with this design. Instead of legs, Onero rolls on a sturdy base while its arms and dexterous hands handle objects with surprising care. Multiple cameras give it keen spatial awareness, helping navigate countertops and appliances.

The Smart Tech Behind the Scenes

Powering these abilities is OmniSense - SwitchBot's proprietary AI that combines vision, depth perception and touch feedback. This lets Onero understand not just where objects are, but how to interact with them properly. That coffee pot isn't just a shape; it's something that needs grasping carefully by the handle.

Still, anyone who's watched robotic demos knows there's often a gap between showroom performance and real-world reliability. Will Onero fold your shirts as neatly at home as it does under perfect stage lighting? That remains to be seen.

Practical Partnerships Over Perfection

The company takes a pragmatic approach by positioning Onero as part of an ecosystem rather than a standalone miracle worker. It's designed to work alongside SwitchBot's existing specialized devices like robotic vacuums and air purifiers.

This raises interesting questions about our smart homes' future: Do we want dozens of single-purpose bots cluttering every corner? Or one generalist that might compromise on some tasks? For now at least, SwitchBot seems to be hedging its bets.

The biggest limitation? Stairs remain an insurmountable challenge for wheeled designs like Onero's. But for single-level homes or apartments, this could become a valuable extra pair of hands.

Pre-orders open soon through SwitchBot's website though pricing remains conspicuously absent from today's announcement - often telling sign in itself about where this product sits in terms of accessibility.

Key Points:

• Multi-talented helper: Onero H1 handles diverse chores from laundry to meal prep
• Smart movement: With 22 degrees of freedom in arms and hands
• Coming soon: Pre-orders opening shortly (price TBA)
• Team player: Designed to complement other SwitchBot devices