ISIG MEMS & Sensors World Summit EU 2026

The convergence of an aging population and a shrinking workforce is accelerating the adoption of automation. Humanoid robots are emerging as a leading platform for general-purpose deployment, moving beyond structured manufacturing environments into homes and other unpredictable settings. This transition significantly increases environmental complexity and places new demands on robotic perception.

This presentation addresses one of the key hardware challenges for humanoids: advanced sensor integration. Rather than a miniaturization problem, sensorizing humanoids requires deploying large-scale, distributed sensing systems that can match, and ultimately exceed, human perception.

We’ll explore tactile sensing technologies based on acoustic and capacitive principles, enabling high-resolution robotic skin capable of detecting pressure, texture, and interaction forces. These sensors can be implemented on both silicon and flexible substrates, enabling seamless integration across robotic bodies.

We’ll also examine superhuman sensing capabilities enabled by advanced semiconductor technologies like high-speed image sensors spanning ultraviolet to short-wave infrared wavelengths extend robotic vision beyond human limits as well as enable chemical, environmental, and gas sensing for enhanced situational awareness.

Expanding the robotic sensory stack, from touch sensing to multimodal superhuman perception, will be critical to enabling autonomous, intelligent, and safe humanoid assistants capable of operating in complex real-world environments.