What are the three components of the system?

An AI processing task planner that generates tasks from natural-language instructions and assigns them to machine and robot; a CNC machine tool with physical AI; and a general-purpose humanoid robot.

When and where will it be shown?

Mitsubishi Electric will demonstrate it at JIMTOF2026, starting October 26 at Tokyo Big Sight.

How much does it cost and when is it available?

Mitsubishi Electric has not disclosed the price or the timing of availability.

RoboticsTop Companies' AI MovesTop Companies AI13h agoOct 22, 2026, 06:31 JST

Mitsubishi Electric links humanoids to CNC tools via physical AI

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3 Key Points

What happened
Mitsubishi Electric said on October 21 it developed a system in which humanoid robots and CNC machine tools coordinate via physical AI. It calls this the industry's first NC system premised on humanoid robot coordination, per the company.
Why it matters
The system aims to replace operator tasks such as setup, cleaning, extraction, transport and inspection with humanoids, and Mitsubishi says this can cut the integration work that has been a barrier to adoption. Its goal is an autonomous, unmanned factory.
What to watch
Mitsubishi Electric will demonstrate the system at JIMTOF2026, the 33rd Japan International Machine Tool Fair, which opens October 26 at Tokyo Big Sight.

WHO IT HITSThis bears on manufacturing and machine-tool engineers, especially those planning factory automation in labor-shortage settings, who may no longer need bespoke communication and control sequences for each robot.

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Context & Analysis

The announcement addresses a specific technical obstacle: connecting a humanoid to a CNC machine tool has meant developing separate communication functions and control sequences for each robot, which the company cites as a hurdle to adoption. Mitsubishi Electric's answer is to pair a task planner with a CNC machine tool, both carrying physical AI built on its Maisart AI technology, alongside an ordinary humanoid. This is framed against a serious labor shortage in manufacturing, where tasks like setup and cleaning assume human physical characteristics and are hard to hand to conventional industrial robots without reworking the production line. The system is not yet a commercial product; price and availability are undisclosed, and the next step is a demonstration at JIMTOF2026 from October 26 at Tokyo Big Sight, after which Mitsubishi Electric's claims about unmanned operation would face scrutiny on the show floor.

FAQ

What are the three components of the system?: An AI processing task planner that generates tasks from natural-language instructions and assigns them to machine and robot; a CNC machine tool with physical AI; and a general-purpose humanoid robot.
When and where will it be shown?: Mitsubishi Electric will demonstrate it at JIMTOF2026, starting October 26 at Tokyo Big Sight.
How much does it cost and when is it available?: Mitsubishi Electric has not disclosed the price or the timing of availability.

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