Robotics Experts to Discuss Next 20 Years at RoboBusiness 2026
Robotics has evolved from a promising technology into an essential business tool across sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agriculture, and defense. At RoboBusiness 2026, scheduled for October 20–21 in Santa Clara, California, industry leaders will examine the breakthroughs of the past two decades.
As the event marks its 20th anniversary, the opening keynote will focus on the technologies, markets, opportunities, and challenges that will shape the next 20 years in robotics.
The session, starting at 9:15 a.m. PT, will feature remarks from Rodney Brooks (co-founder and CTO of Robust AI), Jonathan Hurst (co-founder and chief robot officer of Agility Robotics), and Ken Goldberg (William S. Floyd Jr. Distinguished Chair in Engineering at UC Berkeley). Steve Crowe, executive editor of The Robot Report, will moderate.
Brooks, with over 50 years in AI and robotics, has an extensive academic background from Stanford and MIT, where he founded CSAIL. His pioneering work includes the first mobile robots moving at human speeds and early humanoid robots using AI vision and speech. His companies have delivered millions of Roombas, thousands of military ground robots, and many humanoid robots globally. Currently, his company Robust.AI develops intelligent powered carts for warehouses and factories.
Hurst, a professor and co-founder of Oregon State University's Robotics Institute, researches robot interaction with the physical world, focusing on compliance, dexterity, and mobility inspired by animals. He works on physical AI for loco-manipulation, exemplified by Digit, the first commercially deployed humanoid in logistics, aiming to enhance productivity and quality of life.
Goldberg directs AUTOLab and the CITRIS "People and Robots" Initiative at UC Berkeley, and chairs Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. His work spans robotics, AI, and art, with appointments across EECS, Art Practice, the School of Information, and UCSF Radiation Oncology.
Registration for RoboBusiness 2026, the leading event for commercial robotics developers, is now open. Attendees will gain insights from experts in robotics and AI on cutting-edge research, trends, and applications in manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and more.
Early-bird pricing is available until August 31, saving $200 on full conference passes, which include access to all keynotes, technical sessions, networking receptions, and special events. Discounts are offered for academia, associations, and corporate groups; contact [email protected] for details.
MassRobotics, the world's largest independent robotics hub, is the strategic partner of RoboBusiness. For sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, download the prospectus. For sponsorship questions, contact Colleen Sepich at [email protected].