The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas drew more than 148,000 attendees and over 4,100 exhibitors, underscoring its role as the launchpad for the next generation of AI‑driven products.
Beyond the headline gadgets, CES 2026 leaned into physical AI, digital twins, and a new Manufacturing track, making it especially relevant for teams turning complex electronics into real, buildable products.
Manufacturers and product teams are being asked to do more than ever:
The products below are great examples of where the industry is headed, and the kinds of challenges MaRCTech2 helps customers solve, from early prototypes through scalable production.
Wearables and XR at CES 2026 showed how quickly spatial computing and AI‑powered assistance are becoming everyday tools.
For product teams, devices like this highlight the need for ultra‑compact, high‑density PCBs, precision optics integration, thermally constrained AI compute, and rock‑solid supply chains for displays, sensors, and batteries, all areas where early Design for Manufacturability (DFM) discipline pays off.
XREAL R1 / Asus ROG XREAL R1 smart glassesAutomotive and mobility booths in 2026 focused on more intelligence per vehicle: higher‑performance displays, more sensors, and AI everywhere from the cockpit to the drivetrain.
These systems tie together radar, lidar, cameras, and V2X radios, all on dense, safety‑critical electronics that must survive harsh automotive environments over long lifetimes.
Designing for ISO‑grade reliability, redundant architectures, and automotive supply constraints is where early engagement with experienced EMS and PCB partners becomes critical.
These platforms blend automotive‑grade electronics with the fast iteration cycles of consumer tech, forcing teams to balance functional safety, cost, and rapid hardware revisions as software and AI stacks evolve.
Coordinating that evolution across PCB revisions, test strategies, and supply chain risk is exactly the sort of behind‑the‑scenes work MaRCTech2 helps manage.
From industrial digital twins to consumer devices, AI and computing at CES 2026 were about putting intelligence everywhere, cloud, edge, and in between.
AMD also launched the Ryzen AI Halo platform to help developers build new AI applications and committed $150 million to expanding AI access in classrooms and communities.
These moves highlight a future where “AI PC” is the baseline, not a niche—driving demand for more sophisticated power delivery, thermal solutions, and high‑speed interconnects on every board.
PepsiCo is already piloting digital twins to simulate U.S. facility upgrades with plans to roll them out globally, showing how virtual models are now driving real construction and equipment decisions.
For OEMs, this means design, simulation, and manufacturing are increasingly intertwined; working with manufacturing partners who can share data, iterate quickly, and support design‑for‑digital‑twin workflows will be a real competitive
Smart home and robotics at CES 2026 put physical AI front and center, from multi‑function home bots to more capable cleaning robots.
LG’s CLOiD home robot was one of the most talked‑about household robots at the show, demoing laundry folding, cooking assistance, and even unloading the dishwasher while coordinating with other LG ThinQ appliances.
CLOiD uses a mix of vision, AI, and robotics to recognize objects, manipulate them, and direct other devices, arguably one of the clearest glimpses of how robots may actually collaborate at home.
Turning such a concept into a reliable product involves safety‑rated electronics, robust harnessing for moving joints, multi‑sensor fusion on constrained boards, and long‑term serviceability, exactly the kind of end‑to‑end design and manufacturing thinking MaRCTech2 promotes.
Roborock’s Saros Rover grabbed attention with its legged design that lets it climb stairs and navigate thresholds and curved staircases, using AI, motion sensors, and 3D spatial mapping to avoid fast‑moving obstacles like pets.
Other premium cleaning bots, such as the Narwal Flow 2, focused on AI‑driven navigation, 3D mapping, and self‑cleaning mops, pushing performance well beyond first‑generation robot vacuums.
This new generation of robots requires compact motor drivers, robust power distribution, advanced sensor boards, and reliable wireless connectivity, all in enclosures that must handle dust, moisture, and user abuse.
The X11L series can reach peak brightness up to 10,000 nits, offers as many as 20,000 local dimming zones, and claims full BT.2020 color coverage, all driven by AI‑enhanced image processing.
Packing that much performance into ultra‑large panels means extremely complex power and thermal management, advanced driver boards, and high‑speed interfaces, areas where panel makers and EMS partners must work hand‑in‑hand to maintain yield and reliability.
LG Gallery+ allows these TVs to double as digital art displays, reinforcing the “lifestyle plus performance” positioning that’s increasingly common across high‑end TVs.
For hardware teams, the combination of ultra‑thin industrial design, high‑bandwidth inputs, and strict EMI/thermal envelopes is a reminder that layout, materials, and assembly choices are critical from the first revision.
If your team is working on its own “WOW” product, an XR headset, a home robot, an AI‑first appliance, or a next‑gen display, the leap from a CES‑ready prototype to a manufacturable, supportable product can be the hardest part of the journey.
MaRCTech2 helps bridge that gap by connecting innovators with the right manufacturing partners, supporting Design for Manufacturability and New Product Introduction, and guiding electronics and assembly decisions that scale.