The Affiliation for Advancing Automation (A3), nowadays introduced Hiroshi Fujiwara, Government Director of the Japan Robotic Affiliation (JARA), and Robert Little, co-founder of ATI Business Automation, because the winners of the 2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards, the arena’s maximum prestigious robotics honor.
Fujiwara was once decided on because the 2026 Management winner for his a long time of labor advancing robotics, commercial coverage and global collaboration. Little was once decided on because the 2026 Utility winner for his position in increasing the sensible use of robotics in production thru end-effector applied sciences, power/torque sensing, and robot software converting.
The awards can be offered all over a different dinner and rite on Wednesday, June 24, from 5:15 to eight:30 p.m. CT at McCormick Position in Chicago all over Automate 2026, North The us’s biggest robotics and automation tournament. Tickets for the awards dinner and rite will also be bought thru Automate registration, or by means of updating an present registration.
“Robotics has all the time complicated as a result of individuals who may just see what was once conceivable after which do the exhausting paintings to make it sensible, helpful and scalable,” stated Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “Hiroshi Fujiwara has helped give a boost to some of the international’s maximum vital robotics ecosystems whilst development collaboration throughout trade, govt and global markets. Robert Little has spent his profession serving to producers put robots to paintings extra successfully, giving corporations the gear and applied sciences had to automate with higher flexibility and self belief. In combination, they replicate the aim and spirit of the Engelberger Awards, and each are extremely deserving of this popularity.”
Hiroshi Fujiwara: Advancing Robotics Via Management and World Collaboration
Fujiwara has served as Government Director of JARA since 2009, the place he leads strategic operations and coverage advocacy for Japan’s robotics trade. In that position, he has helped foster collaboration amongst trade leaders, govt businesses and global companions to fortify commercial and repair robotics innovation.
Prior to becoming a member of JARA, Fujiwara constructed a outstanding profession in public carrier with Japan’s Ministry of Financial system, Business and Trade (METI), retiring in 2009 after just about 3 a long time in management roles spanning commercial coverage, generation construction, financial safety, small industry fortify and global industry. His enjoy additionally contains management roles with the Japan Exterior Business Group (JETRO), the Nationwide Institute of Complex Business Science and Generation (AIST), the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism, and Tokyo Institute of Generation, the place he helped fortify collaboration amongst trade, academia and govt.
Robert Little: Increasing Sensible Robotics Adoption in Production
Little has greater than 40 years of enjoy in robotics, automation and production. In 1989, he co-founded ATI Business Automation and helped develop the corporate from roughly $1 million to greater than $100 million in earnings. Underneath his management, ATI was an international chief in robot software changers, power/torque sensing and different end-effector applied sciences that expanded the sensible use of robots in production.
Following Novanta’s acquisition of ATI in 2021, Little served as President of Novanta’s ATI industry staff and later as Leader of Robotics Technique. He now helps the robotics trade thru his advisory company, Robert Little Robotics, the place he advises corporations on industry technique taken with robotics and automation markets. He additionally serves at the A3 Robotics Generation Technique Board.
Concerning the Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards
Named after Joseph F. Engelberger, identified right through the arena as the daddy of robotics, the Engelberger Awards have identified robotics leaders since 1977 for excellence in generation construction, utility, schooling, and management.
Each and every winner receives a $5,000 honorarium, commemorative medallion, and plaque. Winners are decided on by means of a panel of trade leaders in accordance with present and previous nominations and are voted on by means of previous chairs of A3 and the Robot Industries Affiliation (RIA).
