What an inspiring week for the Maxtronics team and NAO at ICRA 2026 in City of Vienna!
Following its impressive appearance at IROS 2025 in October 2025, announcing its return, NAO has once again stepped onto the global stage.
Recently, ICRA 2026 (IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation), one of the most influential international academic conferences in the global robotics field, was held in Vienna, Austria. As a premier international event in the field, ICRA brings together leading research institutions, universities, companies, and industry experts worldwide to explore cutting-edge trends and future directions of robotics technology.
NAO’s presence at the conference attracted significant attention from research institutions, educational organizations, and industry partners worldwide, further demonstrating its unique value in human-robot interaction and social robotics.
“NAO is back” the most heartfelt feedback from worldwide users
In August 2025, Maxtronics Robotics was officially founded, giving the classic humanoid robot NAO a new lease of life. Just two months later, NAO appeared at IROS 2025.
At ICRA 2026, the Maxtronics team also welcomed a large number of visitors, including representatives from international companies, universities, research institutes, and industry experts. Notably, many attendees were already familiar with the NAO robot. Seeing NAO return to the international stage, they expressed both surprise and anticipation.
“I’m so glad to know that NAO is back!”
“Finally, a social robot here!”
This recognition from users further demonstrates NAO’s unique position in the global robotics industry. For many years, NAO has served as a key platform for universities, research laboratories, and innovation institutions to conduct research in artificial intelligence, human-robot interaction, cognitive science, and robotics.
Deeply rooted in scientific research, jointly creating a future innovation ecosystem
With years of deep engagement in the robotics industry, NAO has expanded its presence to more than 70 countries worldwide, with tens of thousands of units deployed. It has also become a core platform for AI, human-robot interaction, and cognitive science research at thousands of leading universities and research laboratories around the globe.
During the ICRA event, many research institutions noted that they continue to use NAO for their research work and look forward to future collaborations. Numerous laboratories and research teams expressed their willingness to resume joint research activities, participate in collaborative projects, and engage in technical exchanges. Both parties plan to further deepen cooperation in areas such as research project development, technology validation, and innovative applications.
Our discussions went also beyond technology.
We believe robotics is about creating solutions that address real human needs and that’s why we are building certified robots that are safe, respectful and useful.
This vision is at the heart of NAO to support you as professionals in Research, Education, Autism and Healthcare, helping to create more engaging, inclusive and effective interactions.
As a widely used humanoid robot platform in global scientific research and education, NAO continues to provide support the following areas:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Human-robot interaction research
- Social Robot Research
- Autism Intervention and Special Education
- Medical Rehabilitation and Health Care
- STEM Education and Robotics / AI Teaching
Through its open, flexible, and stable platform capabilities, NAO helps researchers quickly validate innovative ideas and accelerate the transformation of technological research into real-world applications.
Focusing on cutting-edge technologies, discussing the future of robots
ICRA is not only a platform for showcasing products, but also an important venue for the global exchange of robotics technologies.
During the exhibition, the team engaged in in-depth discussions with industry experts on the following key topics:
- Sensing & Perception
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI & Machine Learning)
- Planning and Control
- Navigation and Locomotion
- Human-Robot Interaction
- Social Robotics
- Embedded AI
Meanwhile, the Maxtronics team actively participated in multiple technical forums and workshops throughout the event, closely tracking global technology trends and drawing on advanced insights to support future product iterations and technological upgrades. At the same time, the team held in-depth discussions with several international partners, further strengthening its global collaboration network and laying a solid foundation for future global market expansion and diversified use cases.
Facing challenges, we must persist in innovation
Of course, ICRA 2026 also offers valuable insight into the evolving competitive landscape of the robotics industry. As global robotics companies continue to increase R&D investment, continuous innovation has become essential to sustaining long-term competitiveness in this rapidly evolving field.
Looking ahead, we will remain focused on global cutting-edge technology trends, strengthen the cultivation of high-level talent, and actively introduce advanced technologies and core components. At the same time, we will further enhance product performance and user experience, delivering more valuable robotic solutions to our customers.
NAO7 is highly expected and has a promising future.
At this year’s ICRA exhibition, the announcement of NAO7 was warmly welcomed by the research and robotics community, who are looking forward to adopting it.
Research users, educational institutions, and industry partners showed strong interest in NAO7. Many visitors expressed their eagerness for its official market release and their intention to apply it as soon as possible in research, education, and innovation projects.
This not only reflects the strong recognition of the NAO brand in the market, but also highlights the important role of social robots in the future of human-robot collaboration.
Conclusion
The development of robotics technology is not only a breakthrough in technological capabilities, but also a deeper understanding of human needs.
NAO has always adhered to the design philosophy of “human-centered” and is committed to creating safe, reliable, and user-friendly robotic products that deliver value across scientific research, education, healthcare, and social services.
Looking ahead, Maxtronics will continue to work with global partners to drive innovation in social robotics and industry development, enabling robots to be more deeply integrated into education, research, and everyday life, and delivering more intelligent and user-friendly human-robot interaction experiences for more users.
NAO is back – and this is only the beginning.
