RoboBusiness 2026 panel to discuss reshoring with robots

The Spot quadruped conducts inspections at a Michelin plant in Lexington, S.C. Source: Boston Dynamics

Robotics is a key enabler of reshoring production to the U.S., but there is little consensus on how to best encourage it. Most industrial automation is made by foreign-owned companies, but can recent policies such as tariffs and FCC import restrictions help promote reshoring?

At RoboBusiness 2026, which will be on Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif., industry experts will discuss how to encourage manufacturers and robotics suppliers to reshore to or expand in the U.S. They will also examine software advances, the role of workforce development, and supply chain challenges of reshoring.

In addition, the panelists will talk about multinational relationships, cybersecurity and geopolitical concerns prompting reshoring efforts , and the need for a national robotics strategy.

About the reshoring speakers

Michael Bearman is chief legal and safety officer at Vecna Robotics , where he has been part of the team since its founding. A hardware-enabled platform executive with more than 20 years of experience, he has helped scale regulated technology businesses across government and commercial markets, including deploying physical infrastructure at national scale, securing more than $145 million in federal contracts, and supporting more than $100 million in venture fundraising.

Bearman serves as convenor of the ISO Working Group on Robotic Interoperability, is a member of ASTM Subcommittee F45 on Robotics, Automation, and Autonomous Systems and ANSI/RIA R15.08 Industrial Mobile Robots, and was a co-lead drafter of the MassRobotics Interoperability Standard.

Michael holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in international studies from the University of Washington.

Dr. Henrik I. Christensen is the Qualcomm Chancellor’s Chair of Robot Systems and a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the University of California San Diego , where he directs the Contextual Robotics Institute. His research focuses on robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and the deployment of robots in real-world environments.

Christensen is a principal author of the U.S. National Robotics Roadmap and has been a prominent contributor to national and international robotics strategy and policy. He has published more than 400 contributions across robotics, AI, and computer vision and is a fellow of IEEE and AAAS. Henrik received the 2011 Engelberger Robotics Award, one of the highest honors in the robotics industry.

Dr. Ellie Sakhaee leads AI & Emerging Tech policy research at Google , where she focuses on frontier technologies, AI agents, robotics, and AI for scientific discovery. Her background spans academic research, public and corporate policy, and AI research and development.

As a machine learning scientist with a Ph.D. in computer science, Sakhaee has led engineering teams, published extensively on AI safety research, and led teams in building machine learning models and developing risk assessment and mitigation strategies for cutting-edge AI systems. Prior to Google, Ellie worked at Microsoft’s Office of Responsible AI and served in the U.S. Congress, advising on technology policy.

Brendan Schulman is the vice president of policy and government relations at Boston Dynamics , a global leader in developing and deploying robots equipped with advanced mobility, dexterity, and intelligence. In this role, he collaborates with policymakers and stakeholders on a wide range of policy and ethics issues relating to the integration of beneficial robots into society.

Previously, Schulman was a prominent leader on the development of legislation, regulations, and safety technologies concerning uncrewed aircraft systems (commercial drones), playing a key role in solutions at the federal, state and local levels, as well as internationally.

A technology advocate, thought leader, and champion of pragmatic solutions to the concerns that are raised by emerging technologies, Brendan has served on federal and state policy advisory committees, testified in the U.S. Congress and the U.K. House of Commons, lectures frequently, and is often quoted in the media on technology law and policy.

Eugene Demaitre , moderator, is editorial director of robotics at Arrowfly , which produces RoboBusiness , The Robot Report , Automated Warehouse , and the Robotics Summit & Expo .

Prior to working for Arrowfly, Demaitre was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld , TechTarget (now part of Informa), and Robotics Business Review . He has participated in conferences worldwide, as well as spoken on numerous webinars and podcasts.

Gene is always interested in learning more about robotics. He has a master’s from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

Register now for RoboBusiness

RoboBusiness 2026 is the leading event for the professionals developing and deploying commercial robots. Attendees can gain the latest insights from experts in robotics and AI on cutting-edge research; industry trends; and innovative applications in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and more.

The show also features technology exhibits and networking opportunities to give attendees a chance to connect with other experts in the industry.

Buy your full conference pass and gain full access to all keynotes, technical sessions, networking receptions, and special events. Discounts are also available for academia, associations, and corporate groups. Please email events[at]arrowfly.com for more details about our discount programs.

For information about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, download the prospectus . Questions regarding sponsorship opportunities should be directed to Colleen Sepich at csepich[AT]arrowfly.com.

Register now and help us celebrate 20 years of RoboBusiness!

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