Start with a task
Choose a task such as moving a pallet or inspecting a part. Ask who needs it done, how it is done today, and what would make a robotic alternative worth buying.
Follow the operating loop
A robot senses its surroundings, estimates the state of its body and environment, plans an action, and controls its movement. Sensors then provide feedback for the next action. The task and hardware determine how these steps are implemented.
Models, controllers, and middleware have different jobs. A model can propose an action; control software translates commands into movement within the machine’s limits; middleware connects software components. Fleet software coordinates work across machines.
Connect that loop to the research map
| Reader question | Systems to explore |
|---|---|
| How does it move, sense, and get power? | Muscle, Senses, Heart |
| How does it decide and coordinate? | Brain, Nerves |
| How is it trained and evaluated? | Blood, Immune |
| How is it deployed and kept useful? | Integration, Work |
These are reading paths through the existing nine systems. A task can involve several systems, even though each research bottleneck has one assigned home.
Separate three commercial questions
Does it work? Look for results on a defined task, with stated conditions and human assistance.
Does it pay for the customer? Include installation, upkeep, supervision, downtime, and the number of acceptable tasks completed over the same period.
Does the supplier retain value? Examine what it sells, repeat purchases, pricing, competition, and the cost of supporting deployments.
Choose your next step
Read the commercial-evidence guide, explore business models and dependencies, or open the full system map. Read the CE-N explanation before interpreting the ranking.
This guide’s reader journey was informed by Florence Jiang’s Physical AI Landscape 2026. It is an introduction, not independent verification of company claims. For a technical description of controller and hardware interfaces, see the ROS control documentation.