Robots that walk, talk, pour beer and play pingpong have taken over the CES gadget show in Las Vegas again. Just don't expect to find one in your home any time soon. Most home robot ventures have failed, in part because they're so difficult and expensive to design to a level of intelligence that consumers will find useful, says Bilal Zuberi, a robotics-oriented venture capitalist at Lux Capital. But that doesn't keep companies from trying. 'Roboticists, I guess, will never give up their dream to build Rosie,' says Zuberi, referring to the humanoid maid from'The Jetsons.' AvatarMind has developed service robots like iPal which is based on artificial intelligence, motion control, sensors and power management.

The driverless electric shuttle has begun carrying passengers in a test program in a downtown Las Vegas entertainment district. The driverless electric shuttle has begun carrying passengers in a test program in a downtown Las Vegas entertainment district. The driverless electric shuttle has begun carrying passengers in a test program in a downtown Las Vegas entertainment district. LAS VEGAS (AP) -- There's a new thrill on the streets of downtown Las Vegas, where high- and low-rollers alike are climbing aboard what officials call the first driverless electric shuttle operating on a public U.S. street. The oval-shaped shuttle began running Tuesday as part of a 10-day pilot program, carrying up to 12 passengers for free along a short stretch of the Fremont Street East entertainment district.

It's a fair question in light of attempts by authorities investigating the slaying of an Arkansas man to obtain voice recordings collected by an Amazon Echo speaker and its Alexa digital assistant. Yet the popularity and capabilities of voice-enabled products such as the Echo continue to grow. At the CES gadget show in Las Vegas, which opened Thursday, Whirlpool, Samsung and other manufacturers are unveiling new ways to use voice services to control laundry machines, refrigerators and other home systems. John Herrington, senior vice president of Samsung Electronics America, unveils new refrigerators with Family Hub 2.0 during a Samsung news conference before CES International, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, in Las Vegas. Family Hub 2.0 features an interface on the refrigerator with apps that can be controlled by voice recognition.