The most unusual technology announced yet at CES 2026

While CES 2026 is full of tech giants unveiling their latest innovations, the real excitement comes from discovering unexpected and strange gadgets that will make you wonder: “Who thought of this?”

We’re here to highlight the wildest products we’ve found yet at CES 2026, from an AI-powered panda that responds to your touch, to Razer’s anthropomorphic animation assistant, and plenty of weird stuff to make you do a double take.

An AI anime companion that watches you from your desk

Razer’s Project AVA, originally introduced last year as an AI esports coach, has evolved into something new: a 5.5-inch 3D mobile desktop companion that can help with gaming strategies, productivity, daily organization, and even personal advice. It is a gaming ally and daily helper. Users can choose from different characters, such as anime girl Kira or muscular Zane.

These digital avatars feature realistic movements, eye tracking, emojis, and lip sync for realistic interactions. But what really stands out is the continuous monitoring, where the device monitors you and your screen using the built-in camera. It’s a bit worrying, but since it’s still just a concept, there’s no guarantee it’ll ever become a real product.

Baby Panda AI robot is adorable for seniors

An’An, the newest AI pet from Mind with Heart Robotics, combines great design with a purposeful mission: supporting hospice care.

The panda robot has high-tech sensors all over its body, so it reacts naturally when you touch it. Emotional AI remembers your voice, how you react, and what you like, so the more time you spend with An’An, the more personalized it becomes. It provides around-the-clock emotional support to combat loneliness. Additionally, for seniors who may have memory issues, the An’An app helps keep them engaged, reminds them of daily tasks, and keeps caregivers informed of their health.

A $500 ice cube maker uses AI to reduce noise

Smart home appliance brand GoveeLife has unveiled a smart ice maker that uses artificial intelligence to keep things nice and cool. The company’s patented AI NoiseGuard technology is designed to reduce all the annoying knocks you typically get from ice makers. The AI ​​detects when the machine is about to freeze and make the noise, so it automatically defrosts before things get loud.

The Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro produces fresh ice in just six minutes and can produce up to 60 pounds per day. Bucket holds 3.5 pounds of ice at a time. It’ll set you back $499.99 — which might make you think twice — but if you’re ready to upgrade your snowboard game, you can get one starting January 15 from Amazon, govee.com, Walmart, or Best Buy.

Ultrasonic chef knife vibrates when slicing and chopping

Depending on who you ask, this kitchen gadget may seem either very silly or very useful. Unlike traditional knives, these Seattle Ultrasonics knives feature a blade that vibrates more than 30,000 times per second, allowing them to move through food with ease. This vibration technology means that the knife runs sharper than its physical edge, making tasks such as cutting vegetables, meat or bread much easier for chefs. According to the company, the vibrations are so subtle that you can’t see or hear the blade move or feel anything in the handle.

The knife is priced at $399 and is currently available for pre-order.

A musical lollipop plays Ice Spice in your head

There are musical toothbrushes, so why not have lollipops that play music too? Lollipop Star showed off its delicious product at CES, which delivers music through bone conduction while it’s in your mouth. (This technology works by sending vibrations through the bones of your skull directly to your inner ear.) Popsicles also provide a boost of fruity flavor. You can choose from three artists: Ice Spice (peach), Akon (raspberry), and Armani White (lemon).

This Wall-E-inspired robot patrols your home and can even join you on camping trips

Zeroth Robotics introduced the W1 at CES, a robot reminiscent of WALL-E.

W1 is a programmable companion designed for families. According to the company’s website, for $4,999, the robot provides around-the-clock AI-powered security, 360-degree mobile monitoring, and integrates with smart home devices for instant smoke and intrusion alerts. It’s also marketed as an adventure companion that can transport camping gear, follow you around the campsite to take photos like a family photographer, and provide portable power so you can enjoy entertainment on the go.

However, the company didn’t mention whether the robot could sort trash or retrieve trinkets — a missed opportunity, in our opinion.

Egg-shaped hormone tracking device

This egg-shaped device can evaluate your reproductive health hormones. All you need is urine.

Mira’s $249 Ultra4 Hormone Monitor makes testing convenient at home: Simply urinate on the stick and insert it into the device. The device analyzes your results and provides information about four reproductive hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estrone 3-glucuronide (E3G), and pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (PdG). Monitoring these hormones not only tells you your six fertile days, but also provides insight into conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), amenorrhea, and amenorrhea.

It looks beautiful cellular eggs.

This story was updated after publication to include more exotic gadgets.