en.Wedoany.com Reported - Automate 2026, the largest robotics and automation exhibition in North America, was held from June 22 to 25, 2026, at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, USA. The event attracted over 1,000 exhibitors from around the world, with numerous industry leaders unveiling new products and technology platforms focused on Physical AI, collaborative robots, and intelligent inspection, collectively highlighting the technological trend of industrial automation transitioning toward AI-driven solutions.
Kawasaki Robotics made the global debut of its RL030N eight-axis robot at the exhibition. Positioned as the industry's first 8-degree-of-freedom robot platform specifically designed for Physical AI applications, the RL030N integrates high-speed motion, enhanced flexibility, and a lightweight structure, making it suitable for dynamic and confined spaces. The robot is equipped with Kawasaki's open KRNX real-time control application programming interface (API), supporting real-time control via external AI software, Robot Operating System (ROS) environments, and third-party orchestration systems. Kawasaki also showcased the Pulseboard weld inspection technology, developed jointly with Fives DyAG, which enables continuous synchronized image capture during robot motion, achieving up to a 10-fold increase in inspection speed. Additionally, the new BA013L arc welding robot and the MXP360L heavy-duty industrial robot were also unveiled.
ABB Robotics demonstrated its Physical AI software toolchain for the first time at the exhibition, showcasing full-stack capabilities from simulation to industrial-grade real-world execution. ABB also launched the PoWa series of new high-speed collaborative robots, characterized by plug-and-play simplicity and industrial-grade performance, targeting the rapid deployment needs of small and medium-sized manufacturers. Furthermore, ABB introduced "speak-through technology," redefining human-machine interaction.
In the collaborative robot sector, Techman Robot showcased highly scalable automation solutions with built-in AI vision. By natively integrating AI vision technology, the solutions help manufacturers reduce hardware and integration costs by up to $40,000 per deployment, shortening the return on investment period to 6 to 18 months. Techman also launched two core software upgrades: "Autonomous AI Model Training" and "No-Code Virtual Programming."
Doosan Robotics released the PalletizHD+ AI palletizing solution. Based on Doosan's proprietary PalletizOS operating system, the solution integrates robots, AI, and application control, achieving a processing speed of 11 boxes per minute. Doosan also showcased the Scan&Go 2.0 autonomous operation system and end-to-end automation solutions.
Flexiv made the overseas debut of its next-generation adaptive robot, Enlight, and the integrated humanoid intelligent platform, MICO. NEURA Robotics presented its full-stack cognitive robot product portfolio and the Neuraverse platform. Epson Robots exhibited SafeSense safety technology and its first collaborative robot. Antaira Technologies launched over 30 new ruggedized switches for industrial automation networks.
Additionally, this year's Automate 2026 featured a humanoid robot zone sponsored by NVIDIA for the first time, becoming a major highlight of the exhibition. From Kawasaki's 8-axis Physical AI robot and ABB's PoWa collaborative robot to AI-driven software platforms from Doosan and Techman, the exhibition clearly demonstrated that industrial automation is evolving from traditional programmed control toward AI-driven adaptive and intelligent solutions.
