World Robot Conference(WRC)
Where Robotics Meets Technology, Industry and the Future
Where Robotics Meets Technology, Industry and the Future
Beijing-based international robotics platform connecting research, commercial products and real-world applications.
The World Robot Conference (WRC) is an international robotics event held in Beijing, China, bringing together researchers, engineers, technology companies, industry leaders, investors and robotics organizations from around the world.
Since its launch in 2015, WRC has developed into a major platform for exploring the development of robotics technology, industrial applications and the broader robotics ecosystem.
The event combines high-level forums, exhibitions, competitions and industry activities, creating a meeting point between robotics research, commercial products and real-world applications.([世界机器人大会][2])
At its core, WRC is about one question:
“How will robotics technology reshape the way we work, live and interact with intelligent machines?”
What Is the World Robot Conference?
A three-dimensional platform that connects technology, industry and application.
The World Robot Conference is more than a traditional technology conference.
It brings together three closely connected dimensions of the robotics industry:
Technology
Researchers and engineers present advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, robot control, perception, manipulation and other emerging technologies.
Industry
Robotics companies showcase products, technologies and solutions spanning industrial automation, humanoid robots, service robots, medical robotics, specialized robots and core components.
Application
The conference increasingly focuses on how robots move from laboratories and demonstrations into real-world environments such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, agriculture, education, energy and everyday life.
This combination gives WRC a broader scope than a conventional academic conference or trade show.
A Robotics Event With Three Major Components
Forum · Exhibition · Competition form a complete cycle from research to application.
The conference and forum program brings together leading researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, robotics organizations and industry executives to discuss technological trends, industrial development and future applications.
The exhibition provides a physical showcase for robots, components, technologies and application solutions, allowing visitors to see robots operating in real-world demonstrations.
The competition program puts robotic systems and teams to the test through a variety of technical and application-oriented challenges.
Together, these three components create a complete cycle:
“Research → Technology → Products → Applications → Competition”
The World Robot Conference Forum
Where Robotics Experts Meet — 2,000+ experts, entrepreneurs and executives from 27 countries.
The World Robot Conference Forum focuses on the ideas and technologies shaping the future of robotics.
Since the first WRC in 2015, the forum has attracted more than 2,000 experts and entrepreneurs from 27 countries, including leading academics, international organization leaders and robotics industry executives.([世界机器人大会][3])
The program includes a Main Forum as well as numerous thematic forums covering different areas of robotics.
Topics have included:
- Humanoid robotics
- Embodied intelligence
- Artificial intelligence
- Robot perception
- Robot control
- Human-robot interaction
- Medical robotics
- Industrial robotics
- Soft robotics
- Assistive robotics
- Autonomous systems
- Robotics applications
- Robotics ecosystem development
The forum is designed not only to present research, but also to connect technological innovation with industrial needs and emerging applications.
World Robot EXPO
See the Robots in Action — from core components to full application solutions.
The World Robot EXPO is the exhibition component of the World Robot Conference.
It brings together companies, universities, research institutions and organizations across the robotics supply chain, from core components and robotic platforms to complete systems and application solutions.
The exhibition covers a broad range of robotic categories, including:
- Humanoid robots
- Industrial robots
- Service robots
- Medical robots
- Specialized robots
- Quadruped robots
- Mobile robots
- Robotic arms
- Exoskeletons
- Intelligent aerial systems
- Core robotic components
- Embodied AI systems
The exhibition is designed around several themes, including application expansion, technological innovation, key technology breakthroughs, new product launches and international cooperation.([世界机器人大会][4])
Rather than presenting robots only as static products, the Expo emphasizes live demonstrations and practical applications.
Visitors can see robots performing tasks, interacting with people and operating in simulated environments.
A Showcase of Humanoid Robotics
From Demonstrations to Real-World Applications — 300 companies, 2,000 exhibits, 150+ new product launches in 2026.
Humanoid robots have become one of the most visible areas of the World Robot Conference.
The exhibition brings together companies developing full-size humanoids, compact humanoid robots, dexterous hands and embodied-intelligence systems.
At the 2026 event, more than 300 companies participated in the exhibition, with more than 2,000 exhibits and more than 150 new product launches reported by the official conference.([世界机器人大会][5])
The focus is increasingly shifting from what a robot looks like to what it can actually do.
Demonstrations increasingly cover:
- Manufacturing
- Logistics
- Retail
- Food service
- Healthcare
- Elder care
- Emergency response
- Home services
- Education
- Energy
- Construction
- Agriculture
This reflects the broader development of humanoid robotics from technological demonstrations toward practical deployment.
World Robot Contest
Robotics Meets Competition — the “Olympic Games” of the robotics field, 20+ countries.
The World Robot Contest (WRC Contest) is the competition component of the broader World Robot Conference ecosystem.
Since 2015, the contest has attracted participants from more than 20 countries, and the official organizers describe it as having been widely recognized as the “Olympic Games” of the robotics field.([世界机器人大会][6])
The competition has evolved into a broad collection of robotics challenges covering both technical capabilities and practical applications.
Its competition categories include areas such as:
- Collaborative robotics
- Brain-computer interface robotics
- Space robotics
- Embodied AI
- Robot applications
- Youth robot design
- Other specialized robotics challenges
The contest provides a different way of evaluating robotics technology.
“While the Forum asks: What is possible?”
“While the Expo asks: What has been built?”
“While the competition asks: How well can the robot perform?”
From Research to Application
Connecting the Robotics Ecosystem — from paper to deployed solution.
One of WRC's defining characteristics is its emphasis on connecting different parts of the robotics ecosystem.
A new robotic technology may begin as an academic research project.
It can then become:
WRC provides a platform where these different stages can meet.
- Researchers can exchange ideas with companies.
- Companies can demonstrate new products to potential users.
- Industry organizations can discuss emerging standards and applications.
- Investors and partners can discover new technologies.
- And visitors can experience robotics technology directly.
International Cooperation
A Global Robotics Platform — collaborations with Switzerland, Sweden, UK, Israel and more.
Although WRC is held in Beijing, its scope is international.
The conference has established relationships with international robotics organizations, universities, research institutions and companies.
The official forum program has included international cooperation activities involving organizations and industry participants from countries including Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Israel, among others.([世界机器人大会][3])
These activities are designed to encourage:
- Research collaboration
- Technology exchange
- Industrial partnerships
- International matchmaking
- Robotics ecosystem development
- Sustainable development cooperation
The goal is to create channels through which robotics companies and research institutions can explore cooperation beyond their domestic markets.
2026 World Robot Conference
Human-Robot Coexistence, Industry-Demand Integration · August 19–23 · Beijing E-Town.
The 2026 World Robot Conference was held in Beijing from August 19–23, 2026.
Its theme was:
““Human-Robot Coexistence, Industry-Demand Integration””
The event featured:
- 7 Main Forums
- 70+ related activities
- 60,000+ square meters of exhibition space according to the official opening announcement
- 4 major exhibition halls
- 300+ exhibiting companies
- 2,000+ exhibits
- 150+ new product launches
- 48 central state-owned enterprises participating as a group
- 17,000+ contestants from more than 20 countries in concurrent competitions ([世界机器人大会][7])
The four main exhibition areas were:
Focused on cutting-edge robotic systems and emerging technologies.
Focused on collaboration across robotics technologies and industries.
Focused on industrial robotics, manufacturing and intelligent production.
Focused on consumer-facing robotics, interactive experiences and applications.
The 2026 event also introduced a dedicated robot consumption street, connecting robotics with consumer products, food, cultural products and interactive experiences.([世界机器人大会][7])
The Rise of Embodied Intelligence
From Artificial Intelligence to Physical Intelligence — AI that can sense, reason and act.
One of the most important themes emerging from recent World Robot Conferences is the convergence of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
Traditional AI primarily operates in digital environments.
Robots must operate in the physical world.
They need to:
- Perceive their surroundings
- Understand physical objects
- Plan actions
- Move through space
- Manipulate objects
- Respond to unexpected situations
- Interact with people
This is the foundation of what is increasingly described as embodied intelligence.
WRC has increasingly become a venue for discussing this transition from AI that processes information to AI that can perceive, reason and act in the physical world.
From Robots as Machines to Robots as Workers
The Next Stage of Robotics — from structured automation to dynamic human environments.
The development of robotics is moving beyond traditional automation.
Industrial robots have historically excelled at highly structured and repetitive tasks.
New generations of robots are being designed to operate in environments that are:
- Less structured
- More dynamic
- More human-centered
- More variable
- More difficult to automate
This is particularly visible in humanoid robotics.
A humanoid robot can potentially operate in environments designed for people without requiring an entirely new infrastructure.
That opens opportunities across:
The World Robot Conference provides a window into this transition.
A Decade of Robotics Development
From 2015 to the AI-Robotics Era — six evolutionary stages.
The first World Robot Conference was held in Beijing in November 2015.
The inaugural event included three major components:
- World Robot Forum
- World Robot EXPO
- World Youth Robot Competition
It brought together experts, scholars, entrepreneurs and international organizations from countries including the United States, Germany, France, Japan and South Korea.([世界机器人大会][2])
Since then, the event has evolved alongside the robotics industry.
The inaugural conference explored how robotics could contribute to an emerging intelligent society.
The conference expanded its international participation, exhibition scale and competition programs.
AI, intelligent manufacturing and service applications became increasingly important themes.
The conference focused on the relationship between robotics and embodied intelligence.
The focus moved further toward the interaction between technological capability and real-world demand.
This evolution reflects a broader shift in robotics:
“From automation → intelligent machines → embodied intelligence → human-robot coexistence”
Why the World Robot Conference Matters
A platform connecting every layer of the robotics industry in one ecosystem.
The importance of WRC lies in the fact that it connects different layers of the robotics industry in one ecosystem.
A platform to present new technologies and exchange ideas with international peers.
An opportunity to demonstrate products, launch new technologies and connect with potential customers and partners.
A window into emerging technologies, companies and application markets.
A place to discover robotic solutions for real-world operational challenges.
An opportunity to see how robotics technology is moving from laboratories into everyday life.
World Robot Conference by the Numbers
A Growing Global Robotics Platform — cumulative figures across editions.
These figures represent cumulative data from previous editions rather than a single year's attendance.([世界机器人大会][1])
World Robot Conference vs. World Humanoid Robot Games
Two complementary robotics platforms with different purposes.
The World Robot Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games are related to the broader robotics ecosystem, but they serve different purposes.
This distinction is important for your website.
WRC is the broader robotics industry platform.
World Humanoid Robot Games is a specialized competition platform focused on humanoid robot capabilities.
The Future of Robotics
Next-generation robotics depends on the integration of AI + Robotics + Hardware + Data + Applications.
The World Robot Conference reflects a robotics industry that is moving into a new phase.
Robots are no longer limited to controlled factory environments.
They are increasingly being developed for:
- Human collaboration
- Flexible manufacturing
- Logistics
- Healthcare
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Emergency response
- Education
- Retail
- Hospitality
- Household tasks
- Consumer applications
At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence are giving robots new capabilities in perception, reasoning, learning and interaction.
The next generation of robotics will therefore depend not on hardware alone, but on the integration of:
“AI + Robotics + Hardware + Data + Applications”
The World Robot Conference provides a platform where these technologies, companies and ideas come together.
Explore the World Robot Conference
Six thematic entry points into the WRC ecosystem.
World Robot EXPO
Explore the robots, technologies and products showcased at the exhibition.
World Robot Forum
Discover the experts, keynote speakers, research and major discussions shaping robotics.
World Robot Contest
Explore the competitions, teams and challenges that put robotic systems to the test.
Embodied Intelligence
Learn how AI is moving from digital environments into the physical world.
Robotics Companies
Discover the companies developing the next generation of robots and robotic technologies.
WRC Timeline
Explore the evolution of the World Robot Conference from 2015 to today.
World Robot Conference at a Glance
Quick reference facts and identifiers.