Universal Robots Debuts Gen 7 Cobot Platform for Physical AI

Universal Robots, a Teradyne Robotics company, introduced Gen 7, its seventh-generation robotics platform at the IMTS tradeshow in Chicago on September 14, 2026, presenting new robot arms, a reengineered controller, and software aimed at moving AI from the lab into industrial operations.

The company, which describes itself as the original, world-leading manufacturer of collaborative industrial robots, said the platform pairs a fully reengineered control box, teach pendant, and tool flange with the PolyScope X robot operating system, presenting the result as out-of-the-box AI-ready for advanced automation and physical AI deployments.

“The robots of the AI era must be advanced, not complicated,” said Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group. Hathout said Gen 7 is an end-to-end redesign drawing on more than 20 years of cobot innovation and over 100,000 industrial deployments worldwide, and said it is intended to reduce integration friction and expand application capabilities so customers and partners can deploy advanced AI-powered applications in real-world operations.

G-Series Arms and the AI-Ready Tool Flange

The platform adds three g-Series robot arms: the UR10g-1750, UR17g-1300, and UR18g-950, each named after its payload in kilograms and reach in millimeters, joining the e-Series and UR Series lineup.

According to Universal Robots, the new g-Series tool flange delivers data, power, and safety directly to the tool, supporting the vision and sensing that AI models need to run in real time with the robot while removing cabling complexity and simplifying connections for cameras and high-bandwidth sensors. The company said built-in force-torque sensing, impedance control, and Real-Time Data Exchange give the robot a sense of touch for physical AI applications such as dexterous manipulation and force-sensitive assembly.

Specifications published on the Gen 7 product page list the UR10g-1750 with an 8 kg payload (10 kg extended), 1750 mm reach, 44.7 kg weight, ±0.08 mm repeatability, and a 5 m/s maximum tool center point speed. The UR17g-1300 carries a 15 kg payload (17.5 kg extended), 1300 mm reach, 40.7 kg weight, ±0.05 mm repeatability, and a 5 m/s maximum TCP speed, while the UR18g-950 is rated at an 18 kg payload, 950 mm reach, 39.2 kg weight, ±0.05 mm repeatability, and a 4 m/s maximum TCP speed. All three arms share a 204 mm diameter footprint.

At the flange, the arms provide 24/48 V power at 5 A peak and 3 A continuous, 1 Gb Ethernet for cameras and sensors, and M8 I/O covering digital I/O, analog input, and RS-485, according to the product page. The arms use an enclosed joint design with IP65 dust and water protection for washdown environments, and an LED light ring at the base displays cell status.

CB7 Core Controller, TP7 Pendant, and SP7 Smart Panel

Universal Robots said the CB7 Core controller provides 40% more compute power in a 30% smaller footprint than previous generations, while the Gen 7 product page separately describes the controller as reducing footprint by 20%. The controller enables multi-network communication, connecting to PLCs, HMIs, MES platforms, IPCs, and vision systems, and the company said this reduces the need for external switches. CB7 Core ships at launch in a standalone control box version and a compact version for integration into an automation cabinet, and it is compatible with e-Series and UR Series robot arms.

The product page lists three 1 GbE ports, 16 configurable digital inputs and outputs, a 24 Vdc 4 A power supply, an IP54 enclosure, and field-replaceable cables for CB7 Core, and identifies it as the first controller in a new CB7 family.

The TP7 Core teach pendant is more than 20% lighter than previous generations, according to the company, and adds multiple grip positions, configurable smart buttons, a full HD display, a responsive touchscreen, and a new virtual joystick.

The SP7 Smart Panel mounts directly at the tool flange, offering safety-compliant freedrive functionality, LED lights, and three configurable input buttons capable of running PolyScope X Smart Skills, with two-hand maneuvering for operators working at the point of the task. The panel is detachable, a design the product page says protects it during welding and machining, and Universal Robots said the Smart Panel cuts setup and programming time where touch-to-teach or operator interaction is important, such as high-mix, low-volume production.

PolyScope X Software and Safety Certifications

According to Universal Robots, PolyScope X brings modern programming tools, ISO 10218-1 safety functionality, and cybersecurity compliance to Gen 7. With open APIs and ROS2 communication, the software enables programmers to build and deploy edge-AI applications utilizing IPCs and external AI processing; the product page also lists an SDK for building and running AI applications natively and onboard logic programs for sequencing without an external PLC. Additional software packages give integrators access to functions such as ProfiSafe, OPC-UA, or logic programs, as well as third-party application software including Rocketfarm Pally and Inbolt 3D Vision Guidance.

Gen 7’s collaborative safety functions provide a PLd, Category 3 certified architecture under ISO 13849-1. All g-Series robots are TÜV certified to ISO 10218-1 and UL 1740, and Teradyne Robotics is certified to IEC 62443-4-1 ML3 for cybersecurity.

Partner Demonstrations at IMTS

At the tradeshow, Gen 7 is on display alongside new developments from more than 20 ecosystem partners, including demonstrations of Gen 7 functionality with Cognex, Schunk, Magswitch, Smooth Robotics, Psyonic, Robotiq, and Inbolt. Universal Robots said the demonstrations illustrate how the platform’s open architecture lets physical AI, machine vision, and gripping providers build applications directly on its hardware and software.

Inbolt CEO Rudy Cohen said that with Gen 7 and PolyScope X, Inbolt’s vision now runs natively on the UR controller itself, available directly through UR with no external vision PC and no extra cabling. “Manufacturers get parts localized without jigs or fixtures, and reach production in hours, not weeks,” Cohen said.

Gen 7 is backed by UR+, a curated portfolio of automation products validated by both the partner and Universal Robots before reaching the market, a process the company said de-risks integration. The Gen 7 product page states that the platform is fully compatible with UR+, including certified AI tools, peripherals, software, and end-to-end solutions designed to work with the g-Series out of the box.