Japanese electronics giant Renesas has opened a physical AI and robotics lab in Beijing, China.

The dedicated facility will enable customers to demonstrate, validate and jointly develop robotic systems and serve as a hub for executing Renesas’ physical AI strategy from proof-of-concept to deployment at scale.

Physical AI represents the next phase of AI evolution, where intelligence moves beyond digital environments into systems that operate in the physical world. Unlike digital AI applications, these systems must perceive, decide and act safely in real time with deterministic behaviour.

Robotics, particularly humanoids, exemplify physical AI and require seamless integration of embedded processing, sensing, actuation, power management, software and development tools. The establishment of the lab reinforces Renesas’ commitment to physical AI as a key secular growth area, following the creation of a physical AI division in July.

“Humanoid robots are becoming more sophisticated and complex, driving demand for hardware and software systems that must work together seamlessly,” said Ivo Marocco, vice president at Renesas. “Today, Renesas can address roughly 30% of the humanoid robot BoM, and we see an opportunity to expand that coverage to 70% through our strengths in control, power, sensing, AI, software and ecosystem. Our new lab will help customers validate complete systems and accelerate the deployment of next-generation robotics.”

Yvonne Liu, vice president for Renesas in China, added: “China continues to lead in robotics innovation and adoption with a deep customer base, a highly collaborative ecosystem and a comprehensive supply chain service system. Renesas will leverage its physical AI lab in Beijing and its technology capabilities to collaborate closely with customers, ecosystem partners, universities and start-ups. As part of Renesas’ key strategy in China, this lab will accelerate the engineering implementation of physical AI systems.”

The lab will integrate hardware, software, AI modelling, control, power supply, sensing and system-level verification to support the complete engineering journey through development and deployment. As a platform connecting customer needs, ecosystem resources and technologies, the lab will go beyond product showcases to support validation and co-development of complete robotics offerings.

Renesas (www.renesas.com) is positioned to serve the physical AI and humanoid robotics segment with a portfolio covering system domains including brain and motion control, sensing, actuation and power management. With decades of experience in automotive and industrial applications, Renesas combines hardware technologies with functional safety, edge AI and Renesas 365, its cloud-based electronics development platform, to help users design safer, smarter and more scalable robotic systems.