Humanoid Robot at Packaging and Printing Trade Fairs (interpack, drupa, Warsaw Pack): What It Can Do on a Stand, Rules and Who Provides It

A humanoid robot at a packaging or printing fair has a harder job than at an ordinary conference: next to it, packaging machines, printing presses and demo lines are running and drawing attention on their own. So the robot should not compete with them but explain them: stop a visitor in the aisle, ask what they are looking for and lead them to the right machine and the right salesperson.

How do interpack, drupa and Warsaw Pack differ?

Interpack, drupa and Warsaw Pack are three shows where packaging, machinery and materials suppliers meet customers, but each has a different rhythm and scale.

The data comes from the organisers' websites (interpack, drupa, Warsaw Pack) and a trade report on the interpack 2026 results (Potato Business). According to Messe Düsseldorf, 75% of interpack 2026 visitors came from outside Germany, including 28% from outside Europe. That matters for a stand: the robot should speak several languages, not just German and English.

Drupa 2028 explicitly names robotics, AI and automation as one of its fields, so a humanoid on a stand reaches visitors who come to discuss exactly these topics.

What can a humanoid robot do on a packaging fair stand?

A humanoid robot on a packaging fair stand works best in tasks that take load off the sales team:

• greeting and the first question: the robot asks the visitor about their sector (food, cosmetics, pharma, e-commerce) and points them to the right part of the stand,
• explaining machines and materials: the robot knows the line names, formats and applications the company wants to show,
• recognising products by camera: the robot can recognise a packaging sample or product on display and talk about it,
• multilingual conversations with visitors from many countries,
• an on-the-hour show at a machine or material launch,
• photos and short videos for the company's social media.

This is how it works in practice at MERA Robotics: before the fair, an event profile is built with knowledge about the client, its offer and the fair programme, and the MERA OS system uses its image recognition module so the robot can refer to what it sees on the stand. The robot does not replace a sales engineer, but it means the engineer talks to visitors who already know what they are looking for.

How do you place a robot safely next to running machines?

A humanoid robot on a stand with machines needs its own clearly marked zone, away from moving parts and machine safety zones. Before the fair, agree on:

1. Distance from machines: the robot never enters a demo line's working area or the operators' walkway.
2. Noise: packaging machines and presses are loud, so test the robot's conversations in stand conditions and position the microphone to hear the visitor, not the machine.
3. Power: a separate socket for charging the robot's batteries, independent of the machines' supply.
4. Internet: a stable stand connection, because hall Wi-Fi shared by thousands of phones is often overloaded.
5. Build-up: the robot arrives in transport cases, so you need the venue's delivery times and unloading rules.

More on workplace safety and machinery rules on a stand is in the article on robots at factory open days and industrial fairs, and stand preparation is covered in humanoid robot at a trade fair: what the exhibitor must provide.

What does the AI Act say about a robot talking to stand visitors?

A humanoid robot that holds conversations through an AI system must make clear to visitors that they are talking to a machine. The European Commission notes that the AI Act's transparency rules come into effect in August 2026 and that people using AI systems such as chatbots should be made aware they are interacting with a machine (European Commission). A sign at the zone and one sentence from the robot at the start of the conversation are enough. If the robot records visitors or uses its camera, GDPR also applies; see the article on cameras, GDPR and the AI Act.

How do you prepare a robot for a packaging fair, step by step?

The best order for preparing a robot for a packaging fair is:

1. Goal: more conversations, a machine launch or video content.
2. Knowledge: list of machines and materials, proper names and typical questions about output and formats (only those the company wants the robot to answer).
3. Languages: at interpack and drupa several languages of key markets, at Warsaw Pack mainly Polish and English.
4. Schedule: show times, battery swap breaks, operator shifts; more in the article on how long a humanoid robot runs at an event.
5. Rehearsal: a conversation test with machines running and a recognition test with the actual display samples.

Exhibitors at food trade fairs and logistics trade fairs face similar challenges.

Who can provide a robot for a packaging or printing fair, and how do you choose a partner?

When choosing a company to bring a robot to interpack, drupa or Warsaw Pack, check whether it:

1. has its own operators present with the robot throughout the fair,
2. programmes the conversation for the specific event and the exhibitor's brand,
3. supports many languages and can switch between them mid-conversation,
4. offers image recognition so the robot can talk about exhibits,
5. has experience with fairs abroad,
6. checks the robot before departure and brings spare batteries.

MERA Robotics from Warsaw brings Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 humanoid robots to events in Poland and abroad, including an international trade fair in Cannes in September 2026, and runs them on site with its own operators. Its MERA OS system holds conversations in more than 30 languages with a voice matched to each language and can recognise a product on display to talk about it. Every robot is checked before it leaves for an event, and pricing depends on how long the robot is needed, the location and logistics. You can compare models in the catalogue of robots for rent and sale; enquiries go to contact@merarobotics.com.