The World Robot Conference 2026 (WRC 2026) will run from August 19 to 23, 2026 at Beiren Etrong International Exhibition and Convention Center in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town). The World Robot Expo 2026 and the World Robot Contest 2026 will be held concurrently with the conference, fully presenting the latest achievements and development trends in the global robotics sector.

Further Expanded Scale and Higher Standards

For the first time, each day of the conference will be designated a themed day, namely a Release Day, a Procurement Day, a Developer Day, and two Public Open Days, each tailored to reach different categories of attendees and visitors.

The Release Day is set for August 19, and will feature announcements of major achievements, debut products, collaborative initiatives and more.

August 20 is the Procurement Day, during which several activities driven by application demand will be held. Specifically, procurement negotiations, supply chain matchmaking sessions and other relevant activities are expected to build efficient bridges between supply and demand and accelerate the implementation of solutions across various robotics sectors.

August 21 is the Developer Day, bringing together developers from around the world to engage in technological exchanges, present their achievements, and explore effective pathways for fostering a robust industrial ecosystem, jointly empowering high-quality innovative development of the robotics industry.

August 22 and 23 are the Public Open Days. Everyone is invited to experience the futuristic achievements firsthand.

This year's WRC will see greater international participation. It has received support from nearly 30 international organizations, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. International guests will account for 30 percent of the attendees of the main forum.

Robot Expo Expected to Feature Over 2,000 Exhibits

The World Robot Expo 2026 and the World Robot Contest 2026 will run during the same period. The expo is anticipated to feature over 2,000 exhibits presented by more than 300 exhibitors, with more than 150 products to be featured for the first time. The number of parallel sub-events has doubled compared to last year, reaching over 60 sessions.

The expo is organized into four exhibition zones: the Smart Innovation Hall (智创馆), the Smart Integration Hall (智合馆), the Smart Manufacturing Hall (智造馆), and the Smart Entertainment Hall (智趣馆), highlighting robot applications and solutions in scenarios such as production and manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, catering and retail, healthcare and eldercare, workplace safety, and emergency rescue. Meanwhile, numerous Chinese and foreign component manufacturers will exhibit their products in categories spanning sensors, reducers, ball screws, motors, batteries, dexterous hands, and integrated joints. Together, these participants will present a complete picture of the upstream and downstream segments of the robotics supply chain.

Outstanding Projects Including Brain-Controlled Unmanned Vehicles to Be Showcased

The finals of the World Robot Contest 2026 will take place during the conference, with over 10,000 competitors from more than 6,000 teams across over 20 countries to compete head-to-head.

The contest will cover several cutting-edge domains. The Tri-Co (Coexisting-Cooperative-Cognitive) Robot Challenge will test competing teams on their teamwork capabilities based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) survey perspectives and ground-based embodied intelligent systems. The Brain-Computer Interface Robot Competition will showcase outstanding projects including brain-controlled humanoid and quadruped robots, brain-controlled unmanned vehicles, and sleep monitoring systems, with public experience sessions open to visitors. On-site, a new BCI competition record challenge for WRC will also be launched.

First-Ever Robot Shopping Street

The "Global Robotics Application Exploration Program" (全球机器人应用探索计划) will be launched at the conference, calling on leading global robotics enterprises to submit mass-produced products such as humanoid robots, quadruped robots, and dexterous hands. These products will be matched with outstanding innovation teams worldwide for free trials, enabling exploration of real-world applications, thereby accelerating the transition of cutting-edge technologies into wider markets.

The 2nd "E-Town Robot Consumer Festival" will also be held during the conference. For the first time, a Robot Shopping Street will be set up on-site, where robot chefs will prepare co-branded food items and beverages on the spot. Creative cultural merchandise based on WRC's mascot will also be on sale.

The brand-new online service platform of WRC 2026 went live on July 6. It integrates visitor services for the expo, attendee services for the forums, media services, and exhibitor services into a single portal, covering the entire process from visiting the exhibition and attending sessions to media reporting, delivering "one-tap access" to all conference services.

The World Robot Conference and the World Robot Games will adopt a unified ticketing mode. Any visitor holding a ticket stub from either event can enjoy discounted pricing when purchasing a ticket for the other. In addition, for professional visitors, including technical practitioners from enterprises, universities, and research institutions, an "All-Access Pass" will be available, enabling a single purchase for full participation throughout the period.

(Source: The Beijing News)