July 21, 04:57

Four Key Shifts in the Robotics Industry Noted at WAIC 2026 Exhibition

After visitors walked 30,000 steps through the WAIC 2026 exhibition hall, four fundamental shifts in the robotics industry became evident.

From Spectacle to Market

The first change is the transformation of the hall from a platform for robot demonstrations into a full-fledged commercial market. Guests are no longer limited to watching robots dance, hit balls, or perform martial arts; they are starting to inquire about prices, delivery terms, agents, and application scenarios. Booths display rental rates starting from 100 yuan per day and 3,000 yuan per month, while international purchasing groups move through the hall holding signs that read 'Buyer Delegation.' Real purchase orders are being signed at the exhibition itself.

Secondly, motion control capabilities have reached a level of democratization. Previously, Unitree Robotics was recognized as exceptional for its ability to ensure smooth robot movement, but at WAIC 2026, Booster Robotics T1 demonstrated accurate scoring in soccer goals, Beijing Humanoid Innovation Center Tiangong 3.0 performed dance routines, and AGIBOT Q1 showed boxing movements. Numerous companies showcased smooth locomotion. Walking, running, and jumping have become basic requirements rather than a competitive advantage. As Technical Director of LimX Dynamics noted, control technologies are converging, and the gap between companies has significantly narrowed. Complex engineering, which previously distinguished leaders, is now a necessary minimum.

The third shift relates to the industry's transition from a universal approach to a concentration on vertical applications. Instead of claiming to create general-purpose humanoid robots, companies are now presenting their robots in specific, realistic scenarios. Kepler Robotics functions as a barista, Star Dynamics demonstrates assembly on a conveyor belt, YouiBot shows parts extraction in a factory, and Leju creates a store for retail tasks. Notably, many robots have stopped insisting on full anthropomorphism. Some use grippers instead of dexterous hands, while others replace legs with wheeled bases. Form now follows function, not anthropomorphic ideals.

The fourth change concerns the shift of core progress from visible presentations to invisible infrastructure. While flashy demonstrations attract attention on social media, true advancements are concentrated in models, data, sensory perception, and learning systems. The evolution of humanoid robots has reached a temporary equilibrium that holds potential for further differentiation. The winning companies will be those that can solve complex problems of reliable task execution, safety assurance, and cost-effective production, whereas those relying solely on motion control will face commoditization. The robotics exhibition at WAIC 2026 shows that the industry is entering a pragmatic phase, where the question has shifted from 'can robots move?' to 'can robots work?', and the answer to this will determine company survival in the transition from spectacle to service.

olhardigital.com.brJuly 21, 03:00

New technology allows controlling robots with thought, BrainCo presents

BrainCo, a company specializing in the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), has demonstrated a new platform that enables robot control via neural signals.

Demonstration in Shanghai

This technology was presented at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in 2026, held in Shanghai, China. During the demonstration, one participant was able to control a robotic arm solely by thought.

The user wore a lightweight electroencephalography (EEG) headset connected to the company's BCI system. When the user mentally imagined picking up a cap, the robotic arm recognized this intention and automatically performed the action. According to BrainCo, the entire process, from reading brain signals to the robot executing the movement, takes less than 200 milliseconds.

System Operating Principle

The technology functions in three stages. First, the EEG headset records electrical signals emitted from the user's brain. Next, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms analyze this information to determine the intended movement or control. Finally, this intention is converted into commands sent to the robot to perform the task.

Nick He, partner and Senior Vice President of BrainCo, noted that the system is the result of ten years of research in BCI. He stated in The Robot Report: 'A decade of BCI research has given us the ability to decode what a person intends to do and translate it into machine action.'

He also added that the combination of various technologies will trigger a new stage of human-machine interaction. 'By integrating brain-computer interfaces, AI, and embedded AI, we believe this will define the next chapter of human-machine collaboration.'

Expanding Robot Functionality

During the presentation in Shanghai, the robotic arm also performed more complex tasks requiring high precision, such as holding a glass and picking up an apple.

According to the company, the platform is designed to be compatible with various commercially available robots, including humanoid robots, robotic arms, and legged robots. The goal is for manufacturers and research centers to implement this technology in their projects without dependence on proprietary hardware.

BrainCo, based in Somerville, Massachusetts, describes the platform architecture as 'neuro-embodied AI.' In this model, the BCI determines the operator's intention, and the AI layer interprets this intention and breaks it down into executable steps. The robot systems themselves are then responsible for the physical execution of the task.

Data Collection for Robot Training

In addition to the neural signal control platform, BrainCo introduced its new AI-embodied data collection solution at WAIC. This initiative aims to solve one of the main problems in modern robotics—the lack of real, high-quality data for training AI systems capable of performing complex and delicate tasks.

BrainCo explains that training a robot to perform actions such as folding clothes, assembling components, or manipulating fragile objects requires huge volumes of data gathered in real-world conditions, which remains a barrier to the development of this field.

To address this, the company developed its own platform consisting of a mobile data collection system equipped with two robotic arms and a high-precision glove. This complex records information from three sources: actions performed by the robot; demonstrations performed by human operators; and virtual simulations. Furthermore, the system records the EEG signals of the human operator. Thus, the platform captures not only the human hand movements but also the brain commands that generated those movements.

According to BrainCo, this approach combines the quality of data obtained from real robots with the scalability of human demonstrations, allowing for the continuous generation of large volumes of data based on real-world tasks.

Company's Existing Products

Founded in 2015, BrainCo already sells three products in the fields of robotics and intelligent prosthetics. These include the Revo 3 Dexterous Hand, a robotic end-effector with 21 degrees of freedom. The company also offers the Intelligent Bionic Hand, a five-fingered prosthetic hand, and the Intelligent Bionic Leg, a smart knee joint for lower limb prosthetics.

pandaily.comJuly 19, 04:21

Honor unveiled the world's first robot phone with mechanical suspension and proactive AI at WAIC exhibition

Honor introduced its world's first Robot Phone at the WAIC 2026 event. This gadget fundamentally changes the concept of smartphone form factor by integrating a four-degree-of-freedom (4DoF) titanium alloy mechanical suspension system directly into the phone's body.

Innovative Suspension System

The suspension system is the device's central innovation. It is made of titanium alloy and equipped with micro-motors that are 70% smaller than comparable components on the market. This system ensures a CIPA level stabilization of 5.5 and compensates for 96% of walking vibrations. The camera module can rotate 360 degrees to track objects and also supports smooth movements of 90 and 180 degrees to create cinematic effects. During normal use, the system is completely hidden in the phone's body and is activated by pressing a single button.

Artificial Intelligence Capabilities

The AI functionality goes beyond standard smartphone assistants. Honor's YOYO Artificial Intelligence demonstrates the ability to perform tasks proactively, processing continuous commands from a single user request. For example, it can sequentially execute turning on motion sickness mode, adjusting screen brightness, setting an alarm, and calling a taxi with minimal user intervention.

Demonstration and Camera

During the demonstration, the Robot Phone used real-time match data analysis to predict Spain's victory over Argentina by a score of 3:1 in the World Cup. Furthermore, it physically expressed its analytical confidence through the movement of the suspension, nodding and swaying to emphasize key moments while explaining the prediction.

The device's camera features flagship specifications. The rear triple camera system includes a 200MP main camera with 4D suspension and an F1.6 aperture and 23mm equivalent focal length, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 200MP periscope telephoto lens. Additionally, this phone is the first product under the strategic partnership between Honor and ARRI, allowing the use of ARRI Log-C encoding and LUT color grading in mobile video. It also offers professional filmmaking features such as C-Log, LUT, focus lock, white balance lock, exposure lock, and motion data recording, aimed at serious video creators.

Strategic Significance of the Product

The Robot Phone represents the first concrete product announced under Honor's Alpha Strategy in March 2025. This three-stage roadmap aims to transform the company from a smartphone manufacturer into a leading ecosystem of AI terminals. Instead of gradual hardware improvements, this device marks a redefinition of the category: when AI moves beyond software and takes physical form, the smartphone transforms from a simple electronic unit into an intelligent companion that perceives its environment, interacts with the physical world, and actively serves its user. The mechanical suspension here acts not just as decoration but as a physical embodiment of Honor's thesis that the next competitive frontier in smartphones is determined by how AI capabilities integrate with the device's morphology to create new interaction models.