Hiroshi Fujiwara, Robert Little win 2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) named Hiroshi Fujiwara, executive director of the Japan Robot Association (JARA), and Robert Little, co-founder of ATI Industrial Automation, winners of the 2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards.
Fujiwara is the 2026 Leadership winner for his decades of work advancing robotics, industrial policy and international collaboration. He has served as executive director of JARA since 2009, leading strategic operations and policy advocacy for Japan’s robotics industry.
Before joining JARA, Fujiwara served in various leadership roles with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and with other organizations and institutions.
Little is the 2026 Application winner for expanding the practical use of robotics in manufacturing through end-effector technologies, force/torque sensing and robotic tool changing.
He has more than 40 years of experience in robotics, automation and manufacturing. In 1989, he co-founded ATI Industrial Automation and helped grow the company from approximately $1 million to more than $100 million in revenue.
Following Novanta’s acquisition of ATI in 2021, Little served as president of the ATI business group and later as chief of robotics strategy. He now runs an advisory firm, Robert Little Robotics, and serves on the A3 Robotics Technology Strategy Board.
Each winner receives a $5,000 honorarium, medallion and plaque. They are selected by a panel of industry leaders based on nominations and are voted on by past chairs of A3 and the Robotic Industries Association (RIA). The awards have been presented since 1977.
“Robotics has always advanced because of people who could see what was possible and then do the hard work to make it practical, useful and scalable,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “Hiroshi Fujiwara has helped strengthen one of the world’s most important robotics ecosystems while building collaboration across industry, government and international markets. Robert Little has spent his career helping manufacturers put robots to work more effectively, giving companies the tools and technologies needed to automate with greater flexibility and confidence. Together, they reflect the purpose and spirit of the Engelberger Awards, and both are highly deserving of this recognition.”
The awards will be presented during a dinner and ceremony June 24 at McCormick Place in Chicago during Automate 2026.