ForceN will hold a crash course in force and torque sensing for humanoids at RoboBusiness

As humanoids take on more industrial roles, it is crucial for them to be able to precisely handle everything from heavy to delicate objects. Force and torque sensors give robots a sense of touch, and without them, robots can’t see how much pressure they apply as they work.

At RoboBusiness 2026, Robert Brooks, founder and CEO of ForceN, will present “A Crash Course in Force and Torque Sensing for Humanoids.” The event will take place on October 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, California, and Brooks will give his keynote speech at 2:15pm PT on the first day of the show.

Participants will learn the many ways they can use force and torque sensors in humanoids and how to avoid breaking them while doing so. Brooks will summarize what he has learned from working with many of the world’s leading humanoid companies over the past three years and best practices companies can incorporate from force/torque sensor developments in surgical, logistics and field robotics with the goal of accelerating the production and field availability of humanoids.

Brooks brings with him a decade of experience in force sensing

Robert Brooks has spent the last ten years at ForceN, where he developed force/torque sensing. The company designs complex, unstructured applications in surgical, logistics, space, humanoid, nuclear, and food/agricultural robotics.

ForceN was based on Brooks’ Ph.D. works on next-generation sensing and actuation for surgical robots at the University of Toronto and SickKids Hospital and his previous work experience in early unstructured robotics in the nuclear, heavy manufacturing, field and medical robotics sectors.

Brooks is working to help grow and accelerate the complex and unstructured robotics ecosystem. He does this by sharing what he has learned throughout his career working with and developing sensing systems to enable the world’s leading robotics OEMs.

Register now for RoboBusiness

RoboBusiness 2026 is the leading event for commercial robotics developers. Participants will gain the latest insights from robotics and AI experts on cutting-edge research; industry trends; and innovative applications in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, logistics and more.

The show also offers a number of networking opportunities to give attendees the chance to network with other industry experts.

Purchase your full conference pass and get full access to all keynotes, technical sessions, networking receptions and special events. Discounts are also available for the academic world, associations and corporate groups. Please send events via email[at]arrowfly.com for more details on our discount programs.