TE Connectivity Japan introduces humanoid robot trial at Kakegawa factory
TE Connectivity Japan began a trial introduction of humanoid robots at its Kakegawa factory in August 2026 to explore physical AI applications in manufacturing.
According to EE Times Japan, TE Connectivity Japan, a subsidiary of connector and sensor manufacturer TE Connectivity, has begun a trial introduction of a humanoid robot at its Kakegawa factory in Shizuoka Prefecture since August 2026. This marks a concrete attempt to apply "physical AI" technology in a real-world manufacturing setting.
Physical AI refers to technology that uses sensors to acquire information from the real world, allows AI to recognize and make judgments, and reflects the results in the actions of robots or equipment. Despite the emergence of high-performance AI models, manufacturing sites face complex real-world factors such as positional deviations, part tolerances, and contact forces, making it difficult to achieve practical use with software alone. This trial aims to verify the adaptability of AI robots in an actual industrial environment.