Universal Robots launches Gen 7 platform with AI-ready arms

Universal Robots launches Gen 7 platform with AI-ready arms

14 September 2026: Universal Robots has introduced Gen 7, its seventh-generation collaborative robot platform, with a redesigned control box, teach pendant and tool flange and three new arms. The company, which belongs to Teradyne Robotics, showed it at the IMTS trade show in Chicago and says the platform is ready for AI applications out of the box.

Not yet independently verified. The page gives no price or ship date for the g-Series arms, pendant or Smart Panel, and performance figures are the company's own. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

Three arms named by payload and reach

The new g-Series arms are the UR10g-1750, UR17g-1300 and UR18g-950, named after payload in kilograms and reach in millimetres, and they join the e-Series and UR Series. Their tool flange carries data, power and safety signals, which UR says removes cabling and makes it easier to connect cameras and high-bandwidth sensors. Force-torque sensing, impedance control and Real-Time Data Exchange are built in, aimed at force-sensitive assembly and dexterous handling.

All g-Series robots are certified by TÜV to ISO 10218-1 and UL 1740. The platform's safety architecture is PLd, Category 3 under ISO 13849-1, and Teradyne Robotics holds IEC 62443-4-1 maturity level 3 for secure software development.

A smaller controller with more compute

The CB7 Core controller offers about 40 percent more computing power in a footprint 30 percent smaller than previous generations. It talks to PLCs, HMIs, MES platforms, industrial PCs and vision systems over several networks, which UR says reduces the need for external switches. It comes in a standalone box and a compact version for installation in an automation cabinet, and it works with e-Series and UR Series arms as well as the new ones. It is the only part the page says is available at launch.

PolyScope X and the programming side

PolyScope X is the operating system under the whole platform. It brings ISO 10218-1 safety functions, cybersecurity compliance, open APIs and ROS2 communication, so programmers can run edge AI on industrial PCs or external processors. Extra packages add ProfiSafe, OPC-UA and logic programming. Third-party applications named by UR include Rocketfarm Pally and Inbolt 3D Vision Guidance.

Two operator-facing pieces change as well. The TP7 Core teach pendant is more than 20 percent lighter, with several grip positions, configurable smart buttons, a full HD display and a virtual joystick. The SP7 Smart Panel sits at the tool flange and offers safety-compliant freedrive, LED lights and three configurable buttons that can run PolyScope X Smart Skills, a feature UR pitches at high-mix, low-volume production.

What the company and a partner say

"The robots of the AI era must be advanced, not complicated," said Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group, who cited more than 20 years of cobot work and more than 100,000 industrial deployments.

Rudy Cohen, chief executive of Inbolt, said the vision company's software now runs natively on the UR controller: "No external vision PC, no extra cabling." Gen 7 was shown with more than 20 ecosystem partners including Cognex, Schunk, Magswitch, Smooth Robotics, Psyonic, Robotiq and Inbolt, and UR points to its UR+ programme, in which each partner product is validated by both the partner and UR.

The announcement gives no prices and no ship dates for the g-Series arms, the pendant or the Smart Panel.

Company profile on TrustList: Universal Robots

Sources

• Universal Robots: Universal Robots unveils Gen 7, a new platform for industrial automation and physical AI deployment, 14 September 2026