What robotic technology/technologies do you expect will make the most impact in 2026?
I think the broader concepts of local "sensing and understanding" are going to roll out in full force this year, where robots have spatial and semantic awareness of what's going on around them, enabling them to work safely and efficiently in a far broader set of environments (including those with humans intermingled with robots). Taking a look under the hood, this would mean that advanced AI, computer vision, and neural networks will be powering robots.
What is your boldest robotics prediction for 2026?
In 2026, I predict that a humanoid robot falls down a set of stairs in someone's home, unfortunately harming an early adopter, and, as a result, the whole field gets some (reasonable, necessary) regulatory oversight for in-home deployments. Also in 2026, someone will likely be caught spying via the tele-operation features that humanoids currently require.
What industry/industries do you expect will invest more in robotics and automation in 2026 and why?
Due to tariffs, 2026 is going to be the year of supply chain shakeups, global rerouting and re-shoring efforts, especially when it applies to strategic inputs and industries. Therefore, I expect that the areas of warehousing and shipping will lead the charge, with manufacturing following suit in 2027 and beyond.
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