From the Floor at ERF 2026, Stavanger
The European Robotics Forum brought together some of the most forward-thinking minds in robotics this year – and we made sure to get out on the floor and meet them. From startups pushing the boundaries of humanoid intelligence to hardware companies redefining how robots interact with the physical world, the conversations we had in Stavanger reflect where the industry is actually heading. Here are some of the highlights.
2026 Humanoid Robot Market Report
160 pages of exclusive insight from global robotics experts – uncover funding trends, technology challenges, leading manufacturers, supply chain shifts, and surveys and forecasts on future humanoid applications.
Featuring insights from
Aaron Saunders, Former CTO of
Boston Dynamics,
now Google DeepMind
2026 Humanoid Robot Market Report
160 pages of exclusive insight from global robotics experts – uncover funding trends, technology challenges, leading manufacturers, supply chain shifts, and surveys and forecasts on future humanoid applications.
Making Humanoid Robots into Real Employees
Wybe is building an AI “brain” for humanoid robots — designed not just to make them move, but to make them work. Their system combines a robot-side brain with a business node that integrates into existing company systems, handles white-collar tasks like emails and phone calls, and activates the humanoid body when physical tasks are needed. Inspired by human neurological processes, the brain continuously reflects on its experiences overnight, building confidence and context over time. Founded with offices in San Francisco and Oslo, the company is currently expanding across the Nordics – starting with a partner operating around 500 hotels and healthcare facilities — with the ambition that your next hire doesn’t have to be human.
Demonstrated by Julian Alexander Hahn and Mats André Breesth (Founder & CTO).
Sensglow’s Haptic Gloves: Bringing the Sense of Touch to Robot Training
SenseGlove builds haptic gloves designed for tele-operation and humanoid robot training. Their latest product, the R1, is an active force feedback glove featuring an exoskeleton with 40 sensors, 20 degrees of freedom, force feedback on 4 fingers, and vibro-tactile feedback across the fingers and palm — giving operators a precise, natural sense of what the robot hand is feeling in real time. Operating at 1 kHz sample rate, the R1 is built for imitation learning workflows where accurate, intuitive data collection is critical. Compared to standard VR controllers, SenseGlove’s gloves capture the full natural dexterity needed to generate high-quality training data for humanoid robots — making it a significant step forward for anyone building capable robot hands.
Demonstrated by Pierre-Stuart Rostain, SenseGlove.
Extended Robotics: Tele-operation and AI Training for Humanoid Robots
Extended Robotics has built a hardware-agnostic software platform that lets operators tele-operate any robot — demonstrated here with a Unitree G1. Beyond remote control, the platform includes an AI workflow that records task episodes, uploads them via AWS, and fine-tunes a vision-language-action (VLA) model so the robot can autonomously repeat the trained tasks. Founded in 2019, Extended Robotics sees AI-driven automation and task variability as the core demand from customers today.
Demonstrated by Robert O’Keefe, Extended Robotics.
Novanta: Miniature Drives and Force Torque Sensors for Humanoid Robots
Novanta is a Boston-based company building the precision components that make human-like robot motion possible. At ERF 2026, they showcased their miniature drives — engineered to deliver high power density and functional safety in the smallest possible form factor, a critical requirement for humanoid joint design. Alongside their drives, Novanta’s force torque sensors enable dexterity and stable balance when placed in the wrists and ankles of a humanoid. Built to withstand real-world conditions — including falls — the sensors are designed to pack maximum strength and functionality into a compact package without compromising performance.
Demonstrated by Nick Damiano, Novanta.
Kollmorgen & Regal Rexnord: High-Torque Actuator Solutions for Humanoid Robots
Kollmorgen and Regal Rexnord help robotics companies scale from prototype to high-volume production — and humanoids are now a core focus. Their portfolio includes high-torque density frameless motors, brakes, and gearing components engineered for the compact, demanding form factors found in humanoid hands, wrists, and hip joints. Rather than supplying individual components, they increasingly deliver complete subassemblies and actuator solutions that simplify integration and accelerate development timelines. With experience spanning NASA space robotics to industrial automation, the company is positioning itself as a key partner for humanoid manufacturers racing to move from hundreds of units to tens of thousands.
Demonstrated by Yoshi Umeno and Frank Taaning Grundholm, Kollmorgen.
Seed Robotics: Affordable, Research-Ready Robot Hands
Founded 11 years ago to fill the gap left by humanoid platforms shipping without capable hands, Seed Robotics has built its reputation supplying the academic and research market with affordable, robust robot hands. Their flagship RH8D features 8 actuated degrees of freedom, 19 total, with wrist flexion, rotation and abduction, independently actuated fingers, time-of-flight palm sensing, current measurement on all joints, and 3D force sensors in the fingertips. Looking ahead, Marco Prata sees two key challenges for the industry: software ecosystems that are too locked to specific hand models, and mechanical reliability at scale. His proposed solution — treating reliability as a system property rather than a per-unit metric, with fast hot-swap replacement of failed hands — mirrors how CNC machines manage tool wear today.
Demonstrated by Marco Prata and Gonçalo Costa, Seed Robotics.
