Portrait of Stefania Ferrero

One of 11 Women Shaping the Future of Robotics in 2026

Mar 18, 2026 — I believe that technology must be guided with awareness. Automation should strengthen human capability and encourage deeper understanding, not replace critical thinking or reduce intellectual breadth.

Portrait of Kristina I. Schunk

One of 11 Women Shaping the Future of Robotics in 2026

Mar 17, 2026 — Robotics brings mechanics, software and artificial intelligence together and turns human and digital intelligence into physical action.

Portrait of Asami Sasao

One of 11 Women Shaping the Future of Robotics in 2026

Mar 12, 2026 — By moving forward steadily with the support of those around you, opportunities will continue to expand.

Portrait of Allison Krumpe

One of 11 Women Shaping the Future of Robotics in 2026

Mar 11, 2026 — Across every role, my purpose has remained consistent: empowering people. “Where many saw chaos, I saw responsibility.”

What are VLAMs doing to Robotics?

When robots meet VLAMs

Feb 25, 2026 — Robotics is often described as a mature industry, with well-established actors, growing sales, and rather clear innovation directions and technological trajectories. In our recent work, we argue that vision–language–action models (VLAMs) may mark a turning point in robotics.

Robots and Work

IFR Best Paper Award

Jan 14, 2026 — Robots, capable of performing both manual and cognitive tasks autonomously, have been integrated in various industries. The increasing adoption of robots has generated concern about the loss of jobs and skills. Our paper addresses these concerns by studying the introduction of robots in US manufacturing plants during the period 2010-2022.

Portrait of Caren Dripke

One of 10 Women Shaping the Future of Robotics in 2025

Dec 11, 2025 — The journey to robotics and welding (which are traditionally very male-dominated working environments) wasn't always easy or straightforward. In this post, I want to share about the foundation that started me on this journey, the support I encountered and the continuous effort it takes to stop doubting oneself.

Research Division “Automation and Robotics”

Service robotics industry on the move

Nov 26, 2025 — In the past, the market primarily focused on specialized robot systems that performed a single task really well at a low cost. Today, massive investments in multipurpose robots, mostly in the form of humanoid robots and with enhanced AI capabilities, can be observed.

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The IFR Newsletter - published quarterly - informs about sector relevant news - press releases, in-depth blogs, positioning papers and case studies on robot use. In addition, we inform about upcoming events, and new IFR members. Each newsletter highlights a report by the current IFR president. Please register for an automatic supply.

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