2026 Robotics Summit & Expo Recap: Key Takeaways and Insights

Robotics Summit & Expo Recap: Key Takeaways and Insights">

The 2026 Robotics Summit and Expo in Boston has come and gone, leaving behind a trail of innovative ideas, insightful presentations, and meaningful connections. The Robot Report editorial team sat down to recap the major highlights, central themes, and networking events that made this year's summit a memorable one. The event featured a range of thought-provoking presentations, including a keynote from Brian Gerkey, who shared his expertise on the role of open source technology in the current era of AI.

Gerkey's insights provided valuable context for understanding the rapidly evolving robotics landscape. Another highlight was Mikell Taylor's presentation, which offered a practical framework for deploying reliable and "worthy" robots. Taylor's approach provided attendees with actionable advice for bringing their robotic solutions to life.

The closing keynote interview with Noland Arbaugh, the world's first Neuralink user, was a particularly memorable moment. Arbaugh discussed his groundbreaking journey with brain-computer interface technology, and even played a game of chess live on stage with Chris Matthieu from RealSense. This remarkable demonstration showcased the incredible potential of neural interfaces and their applications in robotics.

The Robot Report would like to extend its gratitude to our sponsors, Yamaha Robotics Group (YRG) and maxon, who make our content possible. Yamaha's Linear Conveyor Modules and Advanced Operator Interfaces are helping engineers push the boundaries of efficiency and flexibility in smart automation. Meanwhile, maxon's High Efficiency Joint (HEJ) portfolio offers fully integrated robotic joints designed for real-world robotics applications.

If you're interested in learning more about Yamaha's solutions, visit https://hs.yrginc.com/therobotreport. For more information on maxon's HEJ portfolio, head to https://www.maxongroup.com/en-us. The Robot Report Podcast is always looking for sponsors and guests for future episodes.

If you're interested in sponsoring a future episode, contact Jami Brownlee at jbrownlee@wtwhmedia.com. To appear as a guest on a future episode, reach out to Mike Oitzman at moitzman@wtwhmedia.com.