IFA Berlin 2025: The Rise of AI and Robotics in the Smart Home

IFA Berlin 2025, billed as "Innovation for All," once again proved to be the ultimate global stage for consumer and home electronics. The massive expo showcased a thrilling vision of the near future, where Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced robotics move out of the laboratory and into the everyday home. Across countless halls, leading brands like Eufy, Aqara, Reolink, Shelly, SwitchBot, and Dreame unveiled products that are not just smarter, but genuinely capable of making our homes more autonomous, efficient, and secure.

The overriding theme of IFA 2025 was clear: the smart home is no longer a collection of disconnected gadgets. It is rapidly maturing into a seamless, interconnected, and AI-driven ecosystem, focusing heavily on robotics that overcome previous physical limitations and Matter-ready devices that promise true interoperability.

The Dawn of Stair-Climbing Robotics: Eufy and Dreame Revolutionise Cleaning

For years, the multi-story home remained the final frontier for robotic vacuum cleaners. IFA 2025 officially marked the end of that limitation, with major players introducing devices engineered to conquer vertical space.

The clear star of Anker Innovations' booth was the Eufy Mars Walker. This isn't a robot vacuum itself, but rather a revolutionary dock that transforms the Eufy S2 RoboVac into a multi-level cleaning system. The S2 docks into the Mars Walker’s central cavity, which then uses a specialised track mechanism to drive the whole unit up and down staircases. This eliminates the costly need for a separate robot vacuum on every floor, offering a practical, expense-saving solution for multi-story property owners.

Eufy also demonstrated the capabilities of the RoboVac Omni S2 itself, highlighting its powerful 30,000 Pascal suction and a unique hydro-jet mop system that utilises ionised water for a safer and more hygienic clean. Furthermore, the S2 features impressive edge-cleaning capabilities, with the mop extending out to reach baseboards and tight corners.

Not to be outdone, Dreame also presented its version of a stair-climbing solution: the Bionic Quad Track. Dreame showcased a comprehensive line of cleaning solutions, including floor mops, pool cleaners, and window cleaning robots. Their most memorable demonstration, however, was a robot vacuum equipped with a mechanical arm, designed to identify and retrieve objects—like a stray sock—from the floor, bringing a truly futuristic element to daily home tidiness.

In a different take on floor maintenance, Narwal introduced its innovative "Track Mop" technology. Unlike traditional circular mops, this system uses a rolling, track-like cloth to offer a larger, more comprehensive cleaning surface, combined with Narwal Flow AI Detection to intelligently identify and navigate around objects like pets and cables. RoboRock also continued its expansion with the Rockmo Z1 lawnmower, featuring all-wheel drive and AI mapping technology to handle difficult slopes, alongside a new all-in-one vacuum and washer-dryer combination unit.

Smart Security Gets Smarter: Local AI and Dual-Lens Cameras

The home security category at IFA 2025 was dominated by advancements in Artificial Intelligence, prioritising local processing to enhance privacy, speed, and accuracy.

Reolink cemented its focus on high-performance security with the introduction of the Rio Neuro AI system. This new platform powers cameras like the Track Flex Floodlight Wi-Fi camera, a first-of-its-kind Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) floodlight camera featuring dual-lens technology and local AI video search capability. The dual-lens setup allows users to capture both a wide overview and real-time close-ups, ensuring comprehensive coverage without blind spots. This new system has already won multiple awards at the show for its innovation.

Eufy's security lineup also emphasised local AI with the new AI Core system, allowing complex AI processing and facial recognition to occur entirely on-device. Highlights included the S4 dual-lens camera and the E340 dual-cam doorbell, which offers advanced features like red and blue lighting for deterrence and enhanced AI detection capabilities for improved facial recognition.

Aqara, a leader in the Matter ecosystem, also unveiled significant security products, including the robust G400 Wired Camera, which supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) and dual-band Wi-Fi, and the new HomeStation M410 Hub, which comes equipped with a siren and power backup for continuous security monitoring.

Powering the Future: Energy Solutions, EV Charging, and Modular Tech

The growing consumer interest in energy efficiency and sustainability was fully addressed by the introduction of new power management and solar solutions.

Anker Innovations, under its Anker Solix brand, presented a compelling vision for home energy independence. The spotlight was on their stackable, multi-system solar power bank. This modular system allows users to scale their home energy storage by stacking multiple battery banks beneath a central power dock, offering customizable and flexible energy resilience. Adding to their energy portfolio, Anker also launched the V1 Smart EV Charger, signaling their strategic move into the burgeoning electric vehicle home charging market.

Beyond power, Anker’s stand also showcased the new Nebula portable projector, an all-in-one system with detachable speakers and a full 4K projector, designed for flexible indoor and outdoor entertainment.

Ecosystem Evolution: Aqara and Shelly Push Matter and Home Assistant Integration

Interoperability and user-centric control remained critical trends, with brands pushing the envelope on Matter integration and powerful local control.

Aqara showcased its deep commitment to the new Matter standard with a suite of compatible products, including the M200 USB Hub, the M300 Hub (formerly M3), and Matter-enabled locks and cameras. A key sensor highlight was the brand new FP300 sensor, which combines millimeter wave technology with PIR, light, temperature, and humidity detection. Critically, it is battery-powered, which will be a major test for how long millimeter-wave technology can function without a wired connection.

Shelly focused on powerful control and customisation, particularly for enthusiasts of Home Assistant and local control systems. The new Shelly Wall Display X2 and XL stood out, offering a sleek in-wall control interface for managing power, lighting, and automations. These displays feature a presence sensor that automatically brightens the screen as a user approaches, and they are configurable to run on the Shelly platform or directly integrate with Home Assistant. Shelly also introduced new, very thin Bluetooth and Zigbee battery-powered sensors for temperature and humidity, perfect for discreet installation.

Beyond the Essentials: Innovative Appliances, Displays, and Lifestyle Tech

IFA’s broad scope meant innovations extended to every corner of the home and lifestyle.

Hisense dominated the home entertainment halls with its focus on immense display technology, including a staggering 116-inch MiniLED TV and a 163-inch MicroLED screen, all underpinned by a suite of AI Picture and AI Sound enhancements. The company also pushed the concept of the “AI Agent Suite” across its major home appliances, from fridges and washing machines to air conditioning and heat pumps, signaling that AI will soon be the core operational engine for all large home devices.

SwitchBot brought fun and flexibility, showcasing a new range of Color E Ink Displays that function as an AI art frame for vibrant, gallery-style digital art. They also unveiled unique lifestyle products, including an AI tennis robot designed to collect and fire balls back for practice.

Govee provided dazzling lighting innovations, with the new Strip Light 2 Pro and Neon Rope Light 2 offering new ways to diffuse and shape ambient light. The Backlight Pro system showcased Govee’s ability to use a top-mounted sensor to intelligently read TV screen colors and immediately transition that dynamic lighting onto rear-mounted LEDs, creating an immersive entertainment experience.

Simplifying the Smart Life: The 2025 Mandate

IFA Berlin 2025 delivered a powerful message: the future of the smart home hinges on overcoming physical barriers, enhancing security through local intelligence, and providing seamless user experience through greater interoperability. From Eufy’s stair-climbing robot dock to Aqara’s Matter-ready control hubs and Reolink’s AI-powered cameras, the innovations showcased are practical, cutting-edge, and designed to simplify the complex challenges of modern living.

The integration of AI is no longer a gimmick but a fundamental feature, driving better energy savings, offering greater convenience, and ensuring more robust security. The path forward for the smart home is clearly one of autonomy, driven by the powerful, intelligent gadgets unveiled at this monumental event.

Ready to see the future in action? Watch the original video for the full tour of the IFA Berlin 2025 booths and a closer look at these incredible smart home innovations!

Derek from Smart Home Tested visits IFA Berlin 2025