Automate 2026: How AI and Robotics Are Reshaping Connectivity

Automate 2026 wrapped up as the most-attended edition of North America’s largest robotics and automation event, drawing more than 50,000 registrants and 1,230 exhibitors to McCormick Place in Chicago from June 22–25. Beyond the show-floor scale, the event underscored how AI and robotics are moving from pilot projects into full-scale industrial deployment.

One of the most visible themes was humanoid robotics, highlighted by the Humanoid Robot Pavilion and the third annual Humanoid Robot Forum, which brought together developers, researchers, and investors to address the path from prototype to real-world deployment.

AI in Automation: From Pilot to Production

A central theme at Automate 2026 was the continued advancement of “physical AI” across the robotics ecosystem. AI can now perceive, plan, and act in the physical world with increasing autonomy. While early AI automation focused largely on repetitive, rules-based workflows, today’s agentic AI systems can orchestrate multi-step tasks, adapt in real time, and collaborate with humans through low-code/no-code interfaces. This shift is being driven by three converging forces: exponential growth in compute and training data, algorithmic advances that improve decision-making, and a move toward edge AI that reduces latency and enables on-machine inference for time-critical applications.

In practical terms, AI is now embedded in predictive maintenance, quality control, and operational decision-
making, moving the conversation from “show me a demo” to “show me the ROI.” Key priorities are human-centric AI collaboration, orchestrating AI agents, establishing trustworthy governance, scaling AI projects, and integrating AI with robotic process automation (RPA). The result is a new class of intelligent automation that can handle complex, high-volume work while maintaining transparency and safety as AI becomes part of more critical operations. 

FA Cameras: Smaller, Smarter, and AI-Ready

Factory automation (FA) cameras, often called smart or machine vision cameras, have evolved alongside these AI trends. Modern FA cameras combine higher-resolution sensors, greater onboard processing power, and compact form factors that fit into tighter automation cells and collaborative robot arms. 3D camera systems are also advancing as AI-enhanced image processing, miniaturization, increased resolution, and tighter integration with collaborative robots and Industry 4.0 systems drive new applications. 

At Automate 2026, the emphasis on physical AI translated directly into vision systems that do more than capture images. They perform real-time analysis, make localized pass/fail decisions, and feed structured data into AI systems that coordinate production flow. For connector and cabling designers, this evolution means supporting higher data rates, reliable power delivery in compact spaces, and robust signal integrity in environments where vision systems serve as both sensors and edge AI nodes. As AI continues to move from the cloud to the machine, FA cameras are becoming a primary interface between physical processes and intelligent automation, making connectivity increasingly important to performance, uptime, and scalability.

AI and Robots: From Fixed Cells to Autonomous Workforces

At Automate 2026, the conversation around AI and robotics shifted from isolated automation systems to adaptive, multi-task operations. The convergence of analytical, generative, and agentic AI is enabling robots to plan, learn, and execute increasingly complex tasks with less human intervention. As robots become more autonomous and flexible, high-speed, rugged connectivity becomes increasingly important. Connectors and cabling must keep power, signal, and data flowing reliably through moving joints, quick-change interfaces, and edge AI nodes to support uptime, precision, and scalability on the shop floor.

Robotic Arms That Change Tools  — Autonomously

Industrial robotic arms are no longer limited to one end-effector for an entire shift. Automatic tool changers allow six-axis arms to swap between grippers, suction cups, welders, screwdrivers, and other attachments without manual intervention, enabling a single cell to perform multiple operations or accommodate different part families. These systems combine mechanical, pneumatic, and electrical interfaces so the robot can dock, lock, and energize a new tool before proceeding to the next operation. For manufacturers, this can mean fewer dedicated stations, faster changeovers, and greater flexibility for high-mix, low-volume production.

Reliable connectivity is essential to each tool change. Power and signal contacts must mate consistently, Ethernet or fieldbus connections must quickly re-establish communication, and locking mechanisms must withstand vibration and repeated docking. Hirose’s factory automation portfolio, spanning board-to-wire, wire-to-board, and I/O solutions, supports these requirements with compact, high-current, and high-speed interfaces for space-constrained robotic systems while maintaining signal integrity and EMI performance.

Robotic Dogs: Beyond Inventory to Welding and Inspection

Quadruped “robot dogs” have moved well beyond inventory checks and perimeter patrols. At Automate 2026, vendors showcased mobile welding platforms built on quadruped bases, such as Path Robotics’ Rove, which brings a welding torch to large or awkward structures that would be difficult to fixture in a traditional cell. Other deployments in steel mills and power plants equip robot dogs with dual arms and 15 degrees of freedom, allowing them to switch between welding, ultrasonic flaw detection, and rust removal in confined or hazardous zones. By pairing AI-driven navigation with onboard vision and force sensing, these systems can climb stairs, traverse uneven terrain, and perform skilled tasks where human access is limited or unsafe.

These applications require connectors that can handle high current for tools, high-resolution video and sensor data for AI vision, and industrial Ethernet for real-time control, all within compact, shock- and vibration-resistant packages. Hirose’s IP67/IP68-rated connectors, micro-coaxial solutions for video, and ix Industrial™ Ethernet interfaces support these requirements by providing secure connections in tight spaces and reliable data transmission in dusty, wet, or high-vibration environments. As quadrupeds take on more complex industrial tasks, reliable connectivity becomes increasingly important for maintaining power, data, and control while these systems are in motion.    

ix Industrial™ Series Ethernet Interconnect.  

Humanoid Robotics: Proving Reliability in Human Workspaces

Humanoid robots were one of the most visible themes at Automate 2026, underscored by dedicated pavilions and forums focused on taking prototypes into production. These bipedal systems, with multi-jointed arms and adaptive hand-like end-effectors, are designed to operate in environments built for people. Today’s deployments lean toward lower-risk tasks such as material transport and simple pick-and-place, while the ability to use existing tools, navigate standard aisles, and work alongside people can reduce the need for major factory redesigns. AI-supervised motion planning, reinforcement learning, and layered sensor fusion are rapidly expanding the range of feasible operations. With market forecasts reaching as high as $66 billion by the early 2030s, the focus is shifting from “can they walk?” to “can they deliver ROI at scale?” The answer hinges on cost, reliability, and integration with the broader automation ecosystem.

Hirose’s slim in-line connectors, floating board-to-board solutions, and high-durability power/signal hybrids are engineered to support the space-constrained, high-cycle environments inside humanoid platforms. As humanoid robots move toward broader industrial deployment, the path to ROI will depend not only on AI algorithms but also on standardized, scalable connectivity that simplifies integration, reduces failure points, and supports reliable operation shift after shift.

Forward-Thinking Design: Building for AI, Robotics, and Scalable Assembly

As AI and robotics systems grow more autonomous, designers are confronting a new set of challenges: tighter space constraints in dynamic joints, higher data rates for edge AI and vision, stricter power budgets, and the need for robust security at the hardware level. Sensor fusion, real-time control, and distributed intelligence are pushing interconnects to do more in less volume, delivering high-speed Ethernet, high-current power, and shielded signal paths through moving, vibrating, and sometimes outdoor environments. For OEMs, the design question is no longer just “Will this connector work today?” but “Will this connector scale as the robot becomes smarter, faster, and more connected?”

Connector selection also has implications for how production scales. Manufacturers increasingly need designs that can be assembled by hand during pilot runs and low-volume production, then transition to robotic assembly as volumes increase without changing the connector part number. Hirose addresses this need with connectors that offer consistent mechanical interfaces, clear tactile and visual mating cues, and tight tolerances that support both manual insertion and automated pick-and-place or robotic mating. Selecting connectors that can support multiple assembly methods can help OEMs reduce BOM complexity, avoid redesigns, and accelerate time-to-market while maintaining consistent reliability and performance across production phases.

In practice, this means selecting interconnects that combine rugged, high-cycle durability with features that support automation, including self-aligning housings, positive locking mechanisms, and compatibility with standard end-effectors and feed systems. As AI-driven robots take on more complex tasks, from quick-change tooling to mobile welding and humanoid manipulation, the underlying connectivity must be both resilient and scalable. Designing for both AI-ready performance today and robotic assembly readiness tomorrow helps platforms evolve as requirements and production volumes change.

For more information on how Hirose Electric's connectors can transform your wearable device design, visit hirose.com or contact our team of experts today.