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Smart Robots: Can They Evolve into Real-Time Intelligent Systems?

35 d ago

ESD eBook June 2026: Building Blocks of Robotics Design Physical AI, machine learning, and edge computing are some of the latest technologies that are reshaping robotics and autonomous system design, enabling these systems to interact more intelligently and be more adaptable. Beyond these emerging trends, embedded systems and components such as sensors, processors, motors and controllers, and real-time operating systems (RTOSes) are still the foundational building blocks that power these advances across autonomous machines. In the June 2026 issue, we look at the status of robotics and autonomous system design and innovations driving those advancements. Robots have been used in the industrial sector for many years, but how fast are they really evolving into real-time intelligent systems? Contributing writer Filippo Di Giovanni takes a look at this topic and finds that while today’s robots primarily fall into the category of smart automation, robotics is advancing quickly with AI, sensor fusion, and edge computing, with the leap to real-time intelligence still progressing. The path toward true intelligence starts with a key step with embodied AI, he said, along with reinforcement learning and edge AI, which will provide the underlying mechanism for real-time decision-making and action. These advances wouldn’t happen without sensor fusion, which is helping to solve some of the biggest challenges in robotics design. Contributing writer Abhishek Jadhav takes a peek inside sensor fusion, where embedded autonomy stacks enable autonomous systems to operate and navigate. They combine data from multiple sensors to improve perception, localization, and navigation reliability. He discusses three key approaches to sensor fusion, depending on where the sensor data is combined in the perception pipeline. Processing power also plays a vital role in advancing robotics design. As advanced industrial robots and autonomous systems shift to more intelligent platforms that can sense, learn, and adapt to their environment, they all need to process massive amounts of data in real time, reports contributing writer Giordana Francesca Brescia. Brescia evaluates the different processor choices—microcontrollers, microprocessors, or modules—and chiplets and heterogeneous computing. Developers can reduce design risk by evaluating processor options for computing power, latency, power consumption, software tooling, and scalability, she said. Each of these solutions has advantages and limitations that need to be evaluated in relation to the type of robot, the application, and the operational requirements, as they directly impact performance, development cycle, scalability, and cost. The combination of chiplets and heterogeneous computing can meet complex design challenges of advanced robotics, according to Brescia, with chiplets introducing modularity in semiconductor design and heterogeneous computing leveraging specialized processing units for specific tasks. She calls the adoption of these technologies a game-changer in the design of advanced robotic systems. Another core component for robotic applications is motors and their controllers. The latest motor control ICs are designed for higher accuracy and efficiency in a range of applications, from industrial machines to autonomous mobile robots and surgical assistants. Their task is to ensure motors run accurately in terms of position, torque, and speed while achieving high energy efficiency, contributing writer Stefano Lovati said. He covers a range of motors and controllers for robotic applications that must meet strict accuracy requirements. In these complex robotic systems, an RTOS is a specialized OS designed to complete tasks and process data within strict timing constraints with high predictability. It manages hardware resources, ensuring that time-critical tasks are executed within deadlines. Contributing writer Venus Kohli discusses a few of the key performance metrics and why they are important in the evaluation of a robotic RTOS. At the same time, developers need to consider safety and cybersecurity in autonomous systems. Di Giovanni reports that the new frontier of “fail-safe” engineering encompasses a blending of functional safety standards, such as ISO 26262 and ISO 21448, and the reinforcement of hardware and communication protocols. He believes a fundamental shift toward success is no longer gauged by “How well does the system perform?” but rather by “Can the system fail safely—and securely?” To help accelerate this development, developers are turning to development kits that range from building blocks to complete platforms that enable fast prototyping and customization. Modularity is key to accelerating design and development, according to contributing writer Sonu Daryanani, along with flexibility and the use of commercial off-the-shelf parts. He reviews a few robotics development platforms that help designers evaluate robot solutions while reducing development time. (Please click PDF icon to download.) Cover image: Adobe Stock