Collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots in 2026: overview
Collaborative robots work alongside people, while autonomous mobile robots move through environments without fixed guidance paths. Together, they bring flexible automation to workcells and material flows: arms can support tasks at a shared station, while mobile platforms transport goods between operations. The focus is shifting from robot hardware alone to safe, intuitive interaction and reliable integration with people, equipment and facility workflows.
Recent work addresses that integration challenge directly. In September 2026, researchers proposed hybrid A* and dynamic-window path planning for complex AMR environments, alongside digital-twin methods for intralogistics safety monitoring. In June 2026, Geekplus announced AMR deployments at Toyota Motor Corporation plants in Japan. These developments point toward connected, adaptable systems: mobile robots must navigate changing spaces, coordinate with production and respond safely around people.
- 1From navigation to context: AMR research is extending beyond route planning toward safety monitoring, human-motion interpretation and decision-making in changing workplaces.
- 2Arms meet mobile bases: Mobile manipulation and shared robotic arms are bringing flexible material movement and task execution closer together on factory floors.
- 3Deployment needs integration: Fleet coordination, workflow scheduling and safe human interaction remain central to turning individual robots into dependable operating systems.
Top organizations working on collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots. Showing 7 of 1,375 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
ABB Group
Corporate · Switzerland |
General | PUB 8 · GRANTS 1 NEWS 1,089 |
-45% | Its robotics portfolio spans industrial arms and automation systems that can be integrated into human–robot workcells and mobile-material-flow operations. |
| 2 | 
FANUC
Corporate · Japan |
Mobile base and load handling | PAT 4 · NEWS 651 | -45% | Recently, FANUC and Regal Rexnord co-developed a plug-in interface connecting the Movotrak Cobot Transfer Unit with FANUC CRX collaborative robots, supporting mobile transfer applications. |
| 3 | 
KUKA
Corporate · Germany |
Mobile base and load handling | PAT 1 · PUB 4 NEWS 544 |
-21% | KUKA develops industrial robots and mobile platforms for factory automation and intralogistics, including systems that move materials between production operations. |
| 4 | 
Universal Robots
Corporate · Denmark |
Collaborative arm safety and control | PUB 2 · NEWS 385 | -50% | Universal Robots develops collaborative robot arms for industrial tasks, with a focus on flexible deployment alongside workers and integration with end effectors and other equipment. |
| 5 | 
Nvidia
Corporate · United States |
General | PAT 8 · PUB 4 NEWS 391 |
-21% | NVIDIA provides GPU computing and robotics software tools that support perception, simulation, and AI workloads for autonomous and collaborative robots. |
| 6 | 
Amazon
Corporate · United States |
Fleet coordination and orchestration | PUB 1 · NEWS 370 | -26% | Amazon deploys mobile robots in its fulfillment operations and develops warehouse automation systems that coordinate robotic movement with inventory and human workflows. |
| 7 | 
Yaskawa
Corporate · Japan |
Collaborative arm safety and control | NEWS 420 | -42% | Yaskawa supplies industrial and collaborative robot arms, alongside the motion-control and drive systems used in automated production. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 15 total
ApptronikUnited StatesApptronik develops Apollo, a mobile humanoid robot intended for physically demanding work in manufacturing, warehousing, and other commercial settings.
Robust AI Inc.United StatesRobust AI develops the Carter autonomous mobile robot for warehouse operations and has deployed it with DHL Supply Chain; its patents also describe a sensor-equipped robotic cart.
Rapyuta RoboticsJapanRecently, Rapyuta Robotics patented an AMR travel-control method using a sensor to detect objects in the robot’s path; its product range includes collaborative warehouse picking robots.- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
Leading research institutions 1,162 total
Polytechnic University of MilanItalyRecently, researchers examined neural-network control strategies for collaborative robotics, including physical human–robot interaction and ergonomic handovers.
Shanghai JiaoTong UniversityChinaRecently, researchers reported a semantic-enhanced framework for merging simultaneous localization and mapping from two robots operating in orchard environments.
Tsinghua UniversityChinaTsinghua researchers study multi-robot coordination, including AMR task allocation, warehouse fulfillment, and secure swarm control.- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 1,375 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collaborative arm safety and control | This approach enables robotic arms to work near people through control and safety measures, trading speed or task flexibility against safe shared operation. | 250 |
FANUC, ABB Group, Universal Robots |
| AMR navigation and localization | AMRs use sensors and localization methods to plan movement without fixed paths, trading route efficiency against reliability in changing or crowded spaces. | 779 |
AMR, Slam S.P.A., ABB Group |
| Mobile base and load handling | Mobile bases transport materials through facilities, with load capacity and maneuverability balanced against access limits and safe movement around people. | 132 |
AMR, ABB Group, KUKA |
| Mobile manipulation | Mobile manipulation combines a moving platform with an arm to perform tasks across locations, trading wider reach against added control and integration complexity. | 1,032 |
ABB Group, FANUC, Universal Robots |
| Fleet coordination and orchestration | Fleet systems assign tasks and coordinate robot traffic, trading local autonomy against the need for system-wide scheduling and reliable communication. | 881 |
AMR, ABB Group, Locus Robotics |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Funding data records $345,948,826 in grants across 220 awards since 2020. It also lists $561,953,197,028 across 44 funding rounds; these entries may include broad corporate or project financing, not only robotics-specific investment.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Sep 2026Shenzhen, Guangdong Sep 17, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Multi-floor factories can turn a simple material delivery into a logistics headache. That was the challenge facing a leading Indian pen manufacturer, where production…IssueWire | Press Release Distribution - Transportation
- Sep 2026Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) in Mexico – SMarTsol Technologies, a leading provider of high-tech solutions for the manufacturing industry, and iRayple, a global benchmark in the development of Autonomous Mobile Robots…Electronicsmedia
- Jun 2026The increasing automation of warehouse pick-and-place, palletizing, and machine-tending tasks has introduced new technologies. Robotics and automation have drastically changed operations as productivity needs and labor…The Robot Report
- Jun 2026Advancing smarter material flow with the all-new LD-150 and LD-300 AMRs OMRON Robotics will demonstrate the next generation of its flagship LD Series autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) — the LD-150 and LD-300 — at Automate…RoboticsTomorrow.com News
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots
What companies are working on collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots?
ABB Group, FANUC, KUKA, Universal Robots and Nvidia are among the companies active in this field. ABB Group spans industrial arms and automation systems, while FANUC, KUKA and Universal Robots work across robot arms, mobile platforms or integration. Amazon and Locus Robotics are also active in warehouse automation and mobile robot operations.
Which startups are working on collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots in 2026?
Apptronik, Robust AI Inc. and Rapyuta Robotics are among the startups identified in this field. Apptronik develops Apollo for physically demanding commercial work; Robust AI develops the Carter warehouse robot; and Rapyuta Robotics works on warehouse picking robots and fleet coordination. Their work spans mobile manipulation, material movement and orchestration.
Which universities and research centers lead collaborative robot and AMR research?
Polytechnic University of Milan, Shanghai JiaoTong University and Tsinghua University are prominent research organizations in the field. Recent work at Polytechnic University of Milan examined neural-network control for physical human–robot interaction and ergonomic handovers. Shanghai JiaoTong University has studied multi-robot mapping, while Tsinghua University works on coordination and task allocation.
How much funding has collaborative robot and AMR research received?
The funding data records $345,948,826 in grants across 220 awards since 2020. It also lists $561,953,197,028 across 44 funding rounds. The round total may include broad corporate or project financing rather than investment dedicated only to collaborative robots and AMRs, so it should not be read as a robotics-only market total.
Who holds the most collaborative robot and AMR patents?
I-ROBOT and Gideon Brothers D.O.O. lead the listed patent holders, with 10 patents each. Toyota Motor Corporation and ABB Schweiz AG follow with 9 each. Nvidia, Textron and Seegrid Corp each have 8 listed patents, while Jabil Inc. has 7. These counts reflect the patent-holder data for the topic.
Is patent activity growing in collaborative robots and AMRs?
No: the topic records 409 patents in the defined 24-month window, with patent activity down 28.2% against the previous 24 months. Publication activity is moving in the opposite direction: 2,310 publications were recorded in the last year, up 15.4% year over year. The differing trends suggest continued research activity alongside a softer patent pace.
What are the latest developments in collaborative robots and AMRs?
Recent developments include hybrid A* and dynamic-window path planning for complex AMR environments, reported in September 2026. In June 2026, Geekplus announced deployments at Toyota Motor Corporation plants in Japan, and OMRON Robotics said it would demonstrate its LD-150 and LD-300 AMRs. These examples span navigation research, industrial deployment and product demonstrations.
What are the main approaches in collaborative robots and AMRs?
The main approaches are collaborative arm safety and control, AMR navigation and localization, mobile base and load handling, mobile manipulation, and fleet coordination and orchestration. They address different system layers: safe work alongside people, autonomous movement, transporting goods, combining movement with arm tasks, and coordinating multiple robots. Their trade-offs include safety, flexibility, integration and fleet-wide scheduling.
What are the applications of collaborative robots and AMRs?
The listed applications include manufacturing and assembly, warehousing and intralogistics, healthcare and laboratory operations, and retail and hospitality. Manufacturing and assembly has 1,476 documents, while warehousing and intralogistics has 1,041. Recent examples include goods-to-person order picking, factory material transport, healthcare facility services and robot-assisted work in manufacturing.