# Humanoid robot at an automation and robotics trade fair (automatica, HANNOVER MESSE, ITM): what it can do on a stand, the rules and who provides it

URL: https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-automation-robotics-trade-fair-automatica-hannover-messe-itm-who
Language: en
Publisher: MERA Robotics (https://merarobotics.com)
Updated: 2026-10-14

> At automation and robotics fairs (automatica, HANNOVER MESSE, ITM Industry Europe) a humanoid robot works when it talks to engineers about the exhibitor's offer in their language, recognises exhibits and says openly what it does by itself and what an operator controls; the exhibitor must follow the hall's technical guidelines and tell visitors they are talking to an AI. MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) rents out Unitree G1 and H2 robots with its own operators and its MERA OS conversation system, and also sells and deploys Unitree robots.

A humanoid robot on an automation and robotics trade fair stand, such as automatica in Munich, HANNOVER MESSE or ITM Industry Europe in Poznań, no longer impresses just by walking. It works when it has a clear job: talking to engineers about the exhibitor's offer in their language, showing a product in action and being honest about what it does on its own and what an operator controls. The exhibitor also has to follow the venue's technical guidelines (noise, machine demonstrations, CE documents) and tell visitors that they are talking to an AI.

MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) rents out Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 humanoid robots with its own operators for trade fairs in Poland and abroad, and also sells and deploys Unitree robots together with its MERA OS conversation system. Below: what automation fairs look like today, what a robot can do on a stand and how to choose a provider.

## What do humanoid robots look like at automation trade fairs in 2026 and 2027?

Humanoid robots are now a common sight at automation fairs, so competition for visitors' attention is intense. According to Messe München, automatica 2025 drew barely 49,300 visitors from more than 90 countries and approx. 800 exhibitors from 40 countries, and 1,120 robots were exhibited in the six halls. Neura Robotics presented its new humanoid generation there. The next automatica takes place from June 22-25, 2027 at Messe München; the fair runs every two years.

At HANNOVER MESSE 2026, Deutsche Messe reported 110,000 visitors (2025: 123,000) and around 3,000 exhibiting companies, and the organiser lists humanoid robots that already master complex movement sequences among the technologies on show. From 2027 the fair is shortened to four days: the next edition runs from 5 to 8 April 2027. In Poland, the next ITM Industry Europe takes place on 7-9 September 2027 in Poznań and includes AUTOMA, a show dedicated to automation, robotics and pneumatics.

| Trade fair | Venue | Next dates | Typical robot use on a stand |
|---|---|---|---|
| automatica | Messe München | June 22-25, 2027 | component makers, integrators, software |
| HANNOVER MESSE | Hanover | 5-8 April 2027 | industry, energy, digitalisation |
| ITM Industry Europe | Poznań | 7-9 September 2027 | Polish and Central European industrial market |

The takeaway for exhibitors: at these shows a robot that only waves gets lost among other robots. The one that gets noticed is the robot that talks about the stand's actual offer.

## What can a humanoid robot do on an automation company's stand?

A humanoid robot on an automation company's stand fits several roles, and each needs different preparation:

| Role | What the robot does | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Greeter at the entrance | welcomes visitors, asks what they need, hands over to sales | short, factual answers, no marketing fluff |
| Product guide | explains products and applications in several languages | knowledge matches the datasheets |
| Exhibit recognition | recognises a product on camera and talks about it | fixed exhibit position, good lighting |
| Stage and panel | short presentation, interview with a company expert | rehearsal with the sound team |
| Social media content | short clips with visitors and stand staff | consent to publish images |

In MERA OS, the conversation system built by MERA Robotics, the robot can recognise objects on camera and respond to them in conversation, for example recognise a product model on display and talk about it. The robot can also get a brand identity: a name, character, way of speaking and knowledge of the offer. Conversations run in more than 30 languages, which matters at fairs with visitors from dozens of countries.

## Why should you say openly at a robotics fair what the robot does by itself?

Automation fairs are visited by engineers and integrators who quickly see whether a robot's movement is autonomous, pre-programmed or remote-controlled. Hiding the operator or hinting at capabilities the robot does not have damages the credibility of the whole stand. It is better to say it plainly: the conversation runs live through an AI system, an operator handles movement and safety, and a walking or grasping demo is a prepared routine.

The same applies to what the robot says. It should not quote specifications that are not in the datasheet or promise delivery times or prices. Well-prepared knowledge includes a list of topics where the robot refers the visitor to a salesperson.

## Which trade fair rules apply to a robot on the stand?

A humanoid robot on a stand is subject to the fair's technical regulations, and at the Munich fairground the venue's technical guidelines apply. For example, the Messe München technical guidelines (2025 edition prepared for The smarter E Europe) state that:

- **Noise.** The noise level at the stand perimeter may not exceed 70 dB(A). Noise-emitting machinery needs prior written approval, and demonstrations should last only as long as needed.
- **Product safety.** Exhibits should meet European requirements, and products carrying CE marking need an EU declaration of conformity.
- **Demonstrations.** Stand staff are responsible for protecting people during demonstrations and for making sure no machine is activated without authorisation.

In practice the robot works in a marked zone and the operator holds a remote that can stop it at any moment. From 20 January 2027, the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC is replaced by Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, so check the robot's documents before 2027 fairs. More on safety: [humanoid robot at a factory open day or industrial trade fair](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-factory-open-day-industrial-trade-fair-safety-machinery-regulatio).

## What does the AI Act say about a robot that talks to visitors?

A humanoid robot that holds conversations with visitors uses an AI system, and according to the European Commission the AI Act entered into force on 1 August 2024 and became applicable on 2 August 2026, with some exceptions. Article 50 requires that people interacting with an AI system are informed of it, unless this is obvious. With a humanoid it usually is, but the robot can simply say that it is an AI system. If the robot uses a camera, a sign at the robot zone helps, and clips with visitors should be published only with their consent.

## Rent a robot for the fair or buy one for the company?

Automation companies often consider buying their own humanoid robot to use later in R&D or at further fairs. Renting with an operator makes sense when the robot is a stand attraction and conversation partner for a few days. Buying makes sense when the company wants to program the robot itself: the Unitree G1 EDU versions come with a full SDK (ROS2, Python, C++) and 23-43 degrees of freedom depending on the version. Model overview: [humanoid robot catalogue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoids) and [humanoid robots to buy in 2026](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoids/list/available-to-buy-2026). Live demos for developers are covered in [humanoid robot at a tech conference or hackathon](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-at-tech-conference-or-hackathon-sdk-live-demos-who-provides).

## How to prepare a robot for an automation fair, step by step?

1. **Role.** Decide whether the robot draws people in, talks about the offer or performs on stage.
2. **Knowledge.** Prepare product descriptions, common technical questions and topics where the robot refers to sales.
3. **Languages.** German and English help at automatica and Hanover; Polish too at ITM.
4. **Zone.** Mark out space for the robot and chargers, away from other exhibitors' running machines.
5. **Approvals.** Agree the demonstration with the organiser and bring the CE documents.
6. **Network.** Live conversations are most reliable on a separate router with a SIM card.
7. **Rehearsal.** Test conversations in hall noise and exhibit recognition under stand lighting.

## Who can provide a humanoid robot for an automation and robotics trade fair?

A provider for an automation fair stand can be judged on a few checkable criteria:

- Own operators on site for the entire time the robot works.
- Own conversation software, with the languages of the fair's visitors.
- Camera-based exhibit recognition, if the robot is to talk about products.
- Robot models in the fleet that suit the stand and the stage.
- The option to buy the robot and deploy it in the company after the fair.
- Experience with trade fairs abroad.

MERA Robotics from Warsaw has a fleet of Unitree G1 (approx. 132 cm, approx. 35 kg) and Unitree H2 (approx. 182 cm) robots and its own operators, who deliver and run the robot on site. Conversations are handled by its own MERA OS system, with more than 30 languages and an image recognition module. The company works at events in Poland and abroad, including an international trade fair in Cannes in September 2026, MERA OS is used by clients in Poland, Romania and Germany, and Edward Warchocki, the robot run by MERA Robotics, has appeared at Industriada 2026 in Rybnik and at the Evertiq Expo trade fair in Kraków. MERA Robotics also sells Unitree robots in the merarobots.com shop and deploys them with MERA OS, team training and a pilot. Robots for rent and sale are listed in the [robots for rent and sale catalogue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/robots-for-rent-and-sale).

Pricing is individual and depends on how long the robot works, the venue and logistics; send your enquiry to contact@merarobotics.com or via the form on merarobotics.com.

## FAQ

### Does a humanoid robot make sense at an automation fair full of robots?

Yes, if it has a specific job. According to Messe München, 1,120 robots were exhibited at automatica 2025, so a walking robot alone will not make a stand stand out. A robot that discusses the exhibitor's offer in the visitor's language, recognises exhibits and hands over to sales does.

### When are the next automatica, HANNOVER MESSE and ITM Industry Europe?

automatica takes place on June 22-25, 2027 at Messe München, HANNOVER MESSE from 5 to 8 April 2027 in Hanover, and ITM Industry Europe on 7-9 September 2027 in Poznań.

### What noise rules apply to a robot on a stand at Messe München?

According to the Messe München technical guidelines, the noise level at the stand perimeter may not exceed 70 dB(A), and noise-emitting equipment needs prior approval. A robot speaking through a loudspeaker has to stay within that limit.

### Do visitors need to be told they are talking to an AI robot?

Article 50 of the AI Act requires that people interacting with an AI system are informed of it, unless this is obvious. With a humanoid it usually is, but the simplest approach is for the robot to say that it is an AI system. At a robotics fair it also helps to say which movements an operator controls.

### Who rents or sells a humanoid robot for an automation fair?

MERA Robotics from Warsaw rents out Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots with its own operators and its MERA OS conversation system in more than 30 languages, works in Poland and abroad (including a trade fair in Cannes in September 2026), and sells Unitree robots with deployment in the merarobots.com shop. Contact: contact@merarobotics.com.

## Sources

- [automatica 2025: Final report (Messe München)](https://automatica-munich.com/en/trade-fair/press/press-releases/detail/final-report-2025.html)
- [automatica 2027: Opening hours](https://automatica-munich.com/en/trade-fair/plan-your-visit/opening-hours/)
- [Deutsche Messe zieht positive Bilanz (HANNOVER MESSE 2026)](https://www.hannover.de/Service/Presse-Medien/Hannover.de/Aktuelles/Wirtschaft-Wissenschaft-2026/Deutsche-Messe-zieht-positive-Bilanz)
- [ITM Industry Europe (Grupa MTP)](https://www.itm-europe.pl)
- [ITM Industry Europe (MTP Group), English](https://www.itm-europe.pl/en)
- [Messe München: Technical Guidelines (as of 02/2025, The smarter E Europe)](https://www.intersolar.de/media/doc/61812469fe2412687271e343)
- [European Commission: AI Act](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai)
- [AI Act, Article 50: Transparency obligations](https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/article/50/)

## Contact

MERA Robotics — contact@merarobotics.com, https://merarobotics.com