Mantis Robotics at Hannover 2026

Un-Caged at Hannover Messe: Mantis Robotics Demonstrates High-Speed Physical AI in Action

HANNOVER, GERMANY — Across four days at Hannover Messe 2026, Mantis Robotics delivered a live, un-caged demonstration of its MR-1 industrial robot, operating at full speed without physical fences, light curtains, or safety barriers. Located in Hall 26, Stand G44, the demonstration drew continuous crowds of attendees who observed the system executing high-speed kitting tasks in close proximity to human bystanders.

The live application served as a direct proof-of-concept for the MR-1’s core value proposition: delivering traditional industrial throughput within an open, fenceless footprint—effectively bridging the performance gap between caged industrial manipulators and inherently slower collaborative robots (cobots). 

Industry Reactions

By day two of the exhibition, attendee feedback consistently coalesced around three primary observations: 

• On Sensing Technology: “The spatial sensing capabilities are unlike anything currently on the market.”
• On Velocity & Safety: “Achieving this level of operational speed without physical guarding is remarkable.”
• On Market Positioning: “This directly fills the operational void between traditional caged robots and collaborative arms.”

The enthusiasm echoed the core narrative Mantis Robotics has advanced over the past two years: high-throughput automation no longer requires physical isolation. 

Keynote Address

On Wednesday morning, Mantis Robotics CEO Gerry Vannuffelen addressed the Hannover Messe Spotlight Stage. His presentation detailed the architectural limitations of legacy safety systems, the role of predictive Physical AI in un-caged environments, and strategies for reducing integration complexity in high-density production environments.

Operational Use Cases

As the conference progressed, discussions transitioned from technology validation to deployment feasibility. Plant managers and automation engineers primarily targeted four key application areas for fenceless deployment: 

• Dynamic Kitting & Sortation 
• Precision Assembly of high-mix low-volume parts
• Inline Quality Inspection with multiple poses 
• Inline Quality Inspection with multiple poses 

For facilities where floor space constraints or physical safety barriers currently bottleneck production, the MR-1 offers a direct path to unthrottled throughput. 

WATCH: Gerry Vannuffelen’s Spotlight Stage Presentation: