The European Robotics Forum (ERF) will head north in 2026, as Stavanger, Norway has been announced as the next host city. The news follows this year’s edition in Stuttgart, Germany, where the handover took place. Stavanger, known for its growing tech and research ecosystem, will welcome researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers from across Europe for three days of robotics-focused discussion, innovation showcases, and collaboration opportunities. The ERF has become a key platform for shaping the future of robotics in Europe, with each host city bringing its own regional strengths into the spotlight. In this video the Rocking Robots team discusses Stavanger and robotics with Gabor Sziebig from Sintef Manufacturing.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have raised ethical concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) mental health chatbots for children, citing developmental, social, and regulatory challenges. While AI-based mental health applications are becoming more common, particularly as tools to bridge gaps in the U.S. mental health system, most are designed for adults and remain largely unregulated.

The global artificial intelligence (AI) market is projected to reach $4.8 trillion by 2033, approximately the size of Germany’s current economy, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In its Technology and Innovation Report 2025, UNCTAD highlights the increasing concentration of AI’s economic benefits and warns of the potential for widening inequality without coordinated international action.

Milrem Robotics has entered into a distribution agreement with Spanish defence company EINSA to market and support its unmanned ground systems in Spain. Under the terms of the partnership, EINSA will oversee the commercial promotion, customer support, repair, modernization, and potential local manufacturing of Milrem platforms within the Spanish market.

In this video report from ERF, the Rocking Robots team speaks with Jasper van de Mortel from Avular about their modular robotic platforms designed to support academic research. Offering both aerial and ground robots, Avular provides researchers with flexible tools to develop and test autonomous systems. These platforms are also increasingly used in inspection and surveillance applications.

Robotics software company BOW has introduced a new application designed to simplify the deployment of robotic security patrols. The solution, named Mission Control, was unveiled at Hannover Messe 2025 and is built on BOW’s software development kit (SDK) and Universal Controller platform.

Robotics company Okibo has announced the opening of its United States headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey. The company also confirmed the commercial launch of its EG7 robot in the U.S. market. The EG7 is a battery-operated robot designed for painting and drywall finishing tasks. According to the company, the robot functions autonomously without the need for site preparation, external markers, or internet connectivity.

At Hannover Messe 2025, Accenture and Schaeffler AG presented a collaborative effort for industrial automation by integrating simulation, artificial intelligence, and robotics technologies from NVIDIA and Microsoft. The initiative demonstrates applications ranging from manual labor to fully automated operations involving autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), collaborative robots, and general-purpose humanoid robots such as Agility Robotics’ Digit and Sanctuary AI’s Phoenix.

KEENON Robotics has announced the launch of its humanoid robot, XMAN-R1, alongside three new cleaning robots—KLEENBOT C40, C55, and C20—marking an expansion of its service robotics portfolio. The XMAN-R1 is designed to interact with people and coordinate with other KEENON robots, including the DINERBOT T10, KLEENBOT C30, and KEENON S100.

RobotLAB has announced the release of BroBot, its first humanoid robot designed for use across sectors including education, logistics, and hospitality. The Texas-based company introduced the platform as part of its strategy to support automation in environments requiring adaptable, autonomous support systems.