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Weird smart home gadgets of CES 2020: Toilet paper robots and more

So far at CES 2020 we've seen strange (and cute!) robots with various uses, a headless cat snuggle pillow and gadgets that will make going to the restroom more fun.

The biggest consumer electronics show in the world is here and when it comes to weird smart home gadgets, CES 2020 hasn’t disappointed. So far, we’ve seen a robot that will make cleaning up after a toilet session easier, a robot cook named Julia and a headless cat snuggle pillow. Here’s a roundup of all the weirdest stuff we’ve seen. Also, be sure to check out all our CES 2020 coverage live from Las Vegas.

There’s probably been at least one time in your life when you were on the toilet and ran out of toilet paper. Instead of doing the dirty shuffle to grab a roll from the linen closet, praying that no one sees you with your pants down, Charmin’s new RollBot can retrieve the roll for you. You connect to the bot with a Bluetooth connection, then summon the TP butler with your phone (yeah, Charmin knows you’re already sitting there with your phone).

Speaking of your phone, Charmin also wants to keep you entertained while you’re on the porcelain throne. With V.I. Pee you can have a full A.I. experience while you go using an Oculus Rift S VR Helmet.

Have you ever wanted to move a dollop of ketchup from one plate to another without making a mess? The makers of Sauce Slider apparently have. The device can move sauces from one area to another without messing up the shape of the sauce.

If you’ve ever seen The Jetsons, you’ve probably have dreamt of having a robot that can cook and clean for you. Well, Julia comes close. This robot by CookingPal can weigh food with a built-in scale, chop, mix or blend, emulsify, grate, boil, knead, and steam. Then, when it’s done, it can even wash itself.

This is a weird invention with a cool idea behind it. The Petit Qoobo by Yukai Engineering is a headless cat robot that is soft, squeezable and it even purrs. It was created to be a comforting hugging companion for those that can’t have pets, such as those in nursing homes or care facilities.

Bocco Emo, also brought to you by Yukai Engineering, is basically basically an Echo Dot that’s meant to be a friend and companion. Instead of Alexa, you get a little snowman robot named Bocco. It can send voice and text messages to your friends, tell you the weather, control smart devices and talk to you like an old buddy.

Lumi by Pampers Connected Care System is a baby monitoring system that includes a sensor that attaches to an infant’s diaper and works in conjunction with a smart camera to track sleeping habits. It also alerts parents when the diaper has been soiled. Adding a button to your baby’s diaper seems strange, but if it helps keep them safe, it’s worth it.

Follow our live blog for more CES news and announcements.

Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.

The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.

Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.

Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.

This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.

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