The Robotics Handbook 2026 puts humanoid robots and artificial intelligence at the centre of the sector’s development. The free guide looks at commercial trials, technical challenges and new automation opportunities.
The Robot Report has released its Robotics Handbook 2026, a publication on robotics trends and the issues involved in deploying robots. The guide covers hardware advances, component choices and industrial applications, at a time when robotic systems are being adopted more widely.
Humanoid robots are still in development and commercial trials
The Robotics Handbook 2026 gives considerable space to humanoid robots, which are still in the development and commercial trial phase. Massive investment in the field is fuelling competition between large technology companies and specialist start-ups.
These companies are exploring different robot form factors and several use cases. This variety reflects a search for configurations suited to the needs of future professional users.
The guide covers the engineering challenges and commercial opportunities associated with these systems, beyond changes in their design alone.
How AI is changing the way robots are programmed and operated
The other major theme of this edition is the integration of artificial intelligence into robotic systems. The Robot Report highlights its influence on how machines are designed, programmed and managed.
Several technologies are discussed: large language models (LLMs), vision-language-action (VLA) models and world models, which can represent environments and how they change.
According to The Robot Report, these advances are starting to make robots more autonomous, easier to use and safer when interacting with people.
This shift also raises concerns about data management, cybersecurity and national sovereignty.
Robot orders are rising again
The Robotics Handbook 2026 also describes growing adoption of robotics, driven by labour shortages, a better understanding of what machines can do and easier operation.
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), robot orders are rising worldwide and in the United States, after a slowdown that followed the pandemic.
This trend comes as companies show growing interest in automating their operations.
Robotic manipulation and construction among the other topics covered
The guide also examines progress in precision robotic manipulation, including grasping and object handling, as well as automation opportunities in the construction sector.
The Robotics Handbook 2026 is available as a free download. The publication, which covers the technical and commercial issues in robotics, is supported by DigiKey, All Motion, CS Hyde Co., Boker’s Inc., SIKO Products Inc. and ElectroCraft.