Robotic vacuum firms are as soon as once more out in full drive at CES 2026, giving their units a brand new set of intriguing — and generally unsettling — capabilities. This 12 months, Chinese language equipment maker Dreame is displaying off a vacuum prototype with big legs that may climb up and down a whole flight of stairs.
The idea, referred to as the Cyber X, was previewed final 12 months at IFA in Berlin. The vacuum sports activities a considerably terrifying set of legs with rubber treads that enable it to autonomously navigate multi-story environments. Whereas Dreame has beforehand proven off vacuums that may transfer up smaller steps, it says the Cyber X can climb stairs as much as 25cm (9.8 inches) excessive and slopes as much as 42 levels. It will probably handle each straight and curved staircases, and may climb a flight of steps in 27 seconds, in keeping with the corporate.
We received an opportunity to see the Cyber X and its stair-climbing skills at Dreame’s CES sales space, and the gadget was capable of deftly crawl up and down a flight of stairs. The Cyber X didn’t use its “legs” to stroll up the steps, although. As a substitute, it used the treads horizontally, shifting a bit like a miniature, cleansing tank.
Apparently, the precise vacuum is separate from the climbing equipment. As you’ll be able to see within the picture beneath, the bigger gadget with legs has a gap the place the precise robotic vacuum can dock inside and sit whereas the Cyber X climbs stairs.
That probably means the Cyber X isn’t capable of clear the steps themselves, although it does cleverly remedy the issue of transporting the vacuum all through multi-story environments.
Along with its legs, the Cyber X’s vacuum additionally has a built-in water tank to assist mopping skills, and a laser-powered navigation system to assist it maneuver up stairs and round different obstacles. It additionally has a braking system that permits it to remain steady on flooring and stairs, even when the battery dies.
Dreame’s Cyber X. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)
For now, Dreame says Cyber X is only a analysis prototype and hasn’t indicated if it plans to make it, or a robo vac prefer it, extra broadly obtainable in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later. However Dreame has a historical past of displaying off revolutionary options at CES forward of an precise launch. Final 12 months, the corporate had a prototype vacuum with a mechanical arm at its CES sales space. This 12 months, it introduced a brand new vacuum with very similar abilities.
The corporate additionally introduced the Dreame X60 Max Ultra, its newest flagship robotic vacuum that may roll up smaller steps. The X60 Max Extremely, which prices $1,699, can transfer over stairs as much as 8.8cm (about 3.4 inches), a small enchancment over final 12 months’s X50, which may clear heights of 6cm (about 2.4 inches). That is not sufficient to handle a full-size stair, which is often round 7 inches, however it ought to make the X60 versatile sufficient to navigate threshold steps and different small obstacles.
Replace, January 6, 2026, 5:07PM PT: This publish was up to date with new images and video and so as to add extra details about the Cyber X after seeing a reside demonstration at Dreame’s CES sales space.
