차세대 임보디드 AI 로봇 통신 네트워크 토폴로지 및 칩 업계(2026년)

AI Robot Communication Network and Chip Research: Six Evolution Trends and Chip Transformation

Embodied AI robots, namely the new generation of AI robots integrating large AI models and physical entities, are undergoing a leap from "computational intelligence" to "physical intelligence". If large models are the "brain" of robots, then communication networks are their "nervous system". An embodied AI robot is a highly complex distributed system. Its "brain" needs to process massive heterogeneous data from dozens of sensors across its body in milliseconds and issue microsecond-level synchronous commands to actuators.

At the critical node year 2026, ResearchInChina has observed that the internal and external communication architectures of robots are facing unprecedented restructuring. Traditional industrial robot communication architectures have approached physical limits. From the dimension reduction strike of EtherCAT on CAN bus, to the physical transformation of zonal architecture, and then to the breakthrough of new protocols such as NearLink, the communication chip and module market is ushering in a boom period.

The Next-Generation Embodied AI Robot Communication Network Topology and Chip Industry Report, 2026 conducts in-depth research on the industry chain of communication architecture of embodied AI robots. It covers 11 robot manufacturers, 12 Chinese communication module vendors and 13 foreign communication module vendors, and reveals six key communication trends supporting the next-generation embodied AI agents.

Trend 1: In Market Boom and Chip Specialization, Communication Modules Will Witness A Nearly RMB10 Billion Increment.

In the run-up to mass production of embodied AI robots, the value of communication links is undergoing a structural restructuring from "general industrial components" to "specialized core components". According to the latest estimates by ResearchInChina, the demand for communication modules and specialized chips in this market segment will break away from the linear growth track and enter an exponential growth period.

In particular, the EtherCAT Slave Controller (ESC) is emerging as the core incremental driver of this growth. Differing from traditional industrial automation, a humanoid robot has more than 40 joint degrees of freedom, placing a very big demand on the integration and real-time performance of communication nodes.

As shown in the table below, the embodied AI robot dedicated communication market is expected to expand rapidly from USD42 million in 2026 to around USD300 million in 2030.

In addition, FPGA chips are gaining increasing strategic importance in communication links, gradually forming a "FPGA + MCU" heterogeneous collaborative architecture. With its unique parallel processing capability and nanosecond-level low-latency characteristics, FPGAs (such as the Altera Agilex series) are widely used in high-bandwidth multi-sensor fusion, hard real-time industrial bus protocol conversion, and complex motor control loops.

Meanwhile, the market demand for specialized PHY chips (Physical Layer chips) is also surging. Faced with the extremely limited space and heat dissipation challenges inside robot joints, leading vendors represented by Motorcomm and Renesas Electronics are accelerating the launch of Gigabit/2.5G Ethernet PHY chips customized for embodied AI.

These chips are reshaping the physical layer standard of robot internal communication by integrating TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) clock synchronization features, ultra-low power consumption design, and Wafer-Level Chip Scale Packaging (WLCSP).

Trend 2: Penetration Rate of EtherCAT Solution for Internal Communication Protocol Will Increase Year by Year.

For a long time, robot internal communication has presented a "fragmented" situation where multiple protocols such as USB, CAN, and RS485 coexist. However, with more degrees of freedom of embodied AI agents (usually more than 40) and higher motion control accuracy requirements, the bottlenecks of traditional CAN bus in bandwidth and real-time performance have been fully exposed.

The research by ResearchInChina shows that Ethernet evolving towards automotive Ethernet, especially the EtherCAT protocol, is expected to become a better solution for internal communication integration. EtherCAT is developed by Germany's Beckhoff, and now there have been local companies such as Triductor Technology and HPMicro releasing robot-specific ESC chips authorized by Beckhoff for mass production.

Compared with the "store-and-forward" mechanism of traditional Ethernet, EtherCAT adopts a unique "Processing on the fly" technology. Data frames "fly through" each slave node like high-speed trains, and slave stations can instantly read commands and insert feedback data in nanoseconds without caching. This mechanism enables the EtherCAT system to maintain microsecond-level communication cycles and less than 1 microsecond jitter even when connecting dozens of joints.

In the bipedal walking and balance control of humanoid robots, microsecond-level synchronization of multiple joints is crucial. The Distributed Clocks (DC) technology of EtherCAT can ensure that the synchronization error of all axes is less than 100 nanoseconds, perfectly meeting the requirements for highly dynamic motion control. At present, leading manufacturers including AgiBot, Unitree Robotics, and UBTECH have widely deployed EtherCAT or customized Ethernet-based buses in their flagship products.

Trend 3: Reshaping of Network Topology Leads to A Transition from Distribution to Zonal Centralization.

With the surge in the number of sensors (such as tactile skin and multi-view vision), the traditional point-to-point wiring mode leads to bulky wiring harnesses inside robots, which not only increases weight but also reduces reliability.

Drawing on the evolution of intelligent vehicle E/E architecture, embodied AI robots are accelerating the transformation to "zonal architecture".

Models represented by Tesla Optimus Gen3 and Figure 03 may adopt a Zonal Control Unit (ZCU) design similar to that of automobiles. Sensors and actuators first connect to nearby ZCUs, and then link to the central computing unit via a high-speed Ethernet backbone network. According to measured data from the automotive industry, this design not only significantly reduces the length and weight of wiring harnesses (expected to reduce by 16%-30%) but also lowers assembly difficulty.

Under this trend, the importance of high-speed serial communication technology (SerDes) and TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) is increasingly prominent. More forward-looking technologies such as the TS-PON all-fiber industrial optical bus proposed by Poncan Semiconductor utilize optical fibers featuring anti-interference, low latency (<10μs) and high bandwidth (above 10Gbps), allowing a single optical fiber to undertake all electrical bus services. It is expected to be put into pilot applications in high-end robot scenarios in the future.

Trend 4: In End Communication Integration, I3C Protocol Is Becoming the Key Technology to Solve Intra-Board Interconnection in Dexterous Hands.

Dexterous hand is the most complex end effector of an embodied AI robot, requiring the integration of dozens of sensors and motors in an extremely small space. Traditional CAN or UART interfaces require independent transceivers and crystal oscillators, occupying large PCB area and complicating wiring.

The I3C (Improved Inter Integrated Circuit) protocol is emerging as the key technology to solve the "last inch" communication problem of dexterous hands.

Compared with the traditional I2C, I3C supports a transmission rate of up to 12.5Mbps (push-pull mode), and In-Band Interrupt (IBI), allowing sensors to actively report emergency data (such as tactile mutations) without additional interrupt lines.

Dexterous hand solutions based on I3C launched by vendors such as NXP show that only two lines are needed to realize communication between the main controller and multiple finger joints. No external PHY chip is required when the main controller integrates an I3C controller, saving a lot of BOM costs and wiring space. Its characteristics of high integration, low power consumption, and hot-swappable support make it an ideal option for high-density tactile sensor arrays and micro-joint control.

Trend 5: For Software-Hardware Integrated "Data Bus", How DDS and ROS 2 Build a Decentralized Nerve Center?

In the era of software-defined robots, communication is not only the transmission of bits but also the distribution of data. ROS 2 and its underlying DDS (Data Distribution Service) as the default underlying communication middleware constitute the "intelligent center" of robots.

DDS adopts a "data-centric" publish-subscribe model, eliminating centralized message brokers and removing single point of failure risks. More importantly, DDS provides extremely rich QoS (Quality of Service) policies, such as reliability, durability, and deadline. This means developers can configure "high-reliability, low-latency" policies for joint control commands, and "best-effort" policies for video streams, thereby realizing efficient scheduling of heterogeneous data in the same network.

Unitree Robotics' G1 robot is a typical representative in this trend. Its internal DDS middleware realizes the decoupling and efficient coordination of motion control, perception, and decision modules, and is even compatible with computing power expansion of external PCs.

Trend 6: Synergy between 5G-A and NearLink Technology Supports Cloud-Edge-Terminal High-Bandwidth Real-Time Interaction for Robots.

Embodied AI agents not only need a robust "internal nervous system" but also an agile "external nervous system" to realize cloud-edge-terminal collaboration. Cellular networks (5G-A) and short-range communications (Wi-Fi/NearLink) will form a long-term complementary coexistence pattern rather than simple substitution.

With 10Gbps downlink rate, millisecond-level latency, and wide-area seamless roaming capability, 5G-A (5.5G) is a must-have option for robots to access the "cloud brain" in mobile scenarios such as outdoor inspections and industrial parks. The Kuavo robot case UBTECH cooperates with China Mobile proves that 5G-A can support high-precision collaboration of multi-robot groups and real-time ultra-high-definition video backhaul.

In the field of short-range communication, China's independently developed NearLink technology shows great potential to replace Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The NearLink SLB mode features microsecond-level air interface latency (20μs) and nanosecond-level synchronization accuracy, and supports concurrent connections of up to 4096 nodes. This enables NearLink to be competent for external communication, but also at the joint connections of non-metallic skins, it is even expected to try wirelessly replacing some signal cables to explore the solution to the sore point of mechanical wear. At present, among Chiense companies, Triductor Technology has launched NearLink products targeting embodied AI robots.

Table of Contents

1 Embodied AI Robot Communication Network Topology

• 1.1 Overview of Embodied AI Robot Communication Networks
• Overview of Embodied AI Robot Communication Network Modules
• Overview of Embodied AI Robot Communication Networks
• Multi-modal Data for Internal Communication of Embodied AI Robots
• EtherCAT Network Topology of Humanoid Robots
• Requirements of Embodied AI Robots for Internal Communication Transmission (1)
• Requirements of Embodied AI Robots for Internal Communication Transmission (2)
• Ethernet Is Expected to Become the Unified Standard for Communication Protocols
• 1.2 Overview of EtherCAT Communication Network Topology for Embodied AI Robots
• Overview of EtherCAT
• EtherCAT "Fly-by" Processing Mechanism
• EtherCAT Station State Machine Management Mechanism
• EtherCAT Time Synchronization Technology
• Application of EtherCAT High-precision Synchronization Mechanism in Embodied AI
• EtherCAT Operation Principle
• Implementation Mode of EtherCAT Slave Station System
• Adaptability of EtherCAT to Embodied AI Robots
• Comparison Between EtherCAT and CAN Bus
• Advantages and Trends of EtherCAT Communication Protocol
• Defects and Challenges of EtherCAT Communication Protocol
• Next-generation EtherCAT Technology
• 1.3 EtherCAT Communication Network Technology Stack
• ROS 2 Communication Architecture Technology Stack
• New Features of ROS 2
• Core Components of ROS 2 System
• Communication Architecture Design of ROS 2
• ROS 2-Based Communication Architecture of Embodied AI Robots
• Example of Data Processing Flow Based on ROS 2 System Architecture
• ROS 2 Robot Endpoint Communication Solution
• Partial Applications of ROS 2 in Embodied AI Robots
• 1.4 EtherCAT Communication Network Middleware
• Overview of DDS
• Core Models and Advantages of DDS
• QoS Policies of DDS
• 1.5 Application of FPGA Chips and PHY Chips in Embodied AI Robot Communication
• Overview of Ethernet Physical Layer Chips (PHY)
• Application of Ethernet Physical Layer Chips (PHY)
• Core Advantages of FPGA in Robot Control and Communication Systems
• Practical Application Cases of FPGA in Robotics
• Application of FPGA in Communication of Tesla Optimus Gen 2
• 1.6 Industry Chain and Scale of Communication Chips for Embodied AI Robots
• Underlying Hardware Industry Chain of Internal Communication Units for Embodied AI Robots
• Industry Chain Structure of External Communication for Embodied AI Robots
• Internal Communication Cost of Embodied AI Robots
• Global Embodied AI Robot Communication Module Market Size, 2026E-2030E
• China Embodied AI Robot Communication Module Market Size, 2026E-2030E

2 Application of Communication in Various Scenarios of Embodied AI Robots

• 2.1 Sensor Communication Architecture
• Types of Sensors Equipped on Embodied AI Robots
• Robot CMOS Image Sensor Communication
• Robot LiDAR/Radar Communication
• Microphone Network Communication of Embodied AI Robots
• EtherCAT-based Machine Vision System Integration Technology
• EtherCAT-based Machine Vision System Framework
• 2.2 Motion Control and Actuators
• Motion Control Communication Network Module and Application of Embodied AI Robots
• Communication Interface Design of Embodied AI Robots
• Hardware Architecture Analysis of Actuator and EtherCAT Communication Network for Embodied AI Robots
• EtherCAT Has Significant Advantages in Robot Motion Control
• 2.3 Dexterous Hand Communication Architecture
• Types and Considerations of Dexterous Hand Communication
• Dexterous Hand Communication Architecture
• Dexterous Hand Palm Board EtherCAT Slave Station System
• Challenges of Dexterous Hand Distributed Communication Architecture
• Differences Between I3C and I2C and Their Advantages in Embodied AI
• Dexterous Hand Distributed Communication Architecture Based on I3C Bus
• 2.4 External Communication Architecture
• External Communication Technology Is the Foundation of Embodied AI Robots
• Comparison Between Wireless and Wired Communication of Embodied AI Robots
• External Communication Is Led by Wireless Communication
• Application of Cellular Network in External Communication of Embodied AI Robots
• Application of Wi-Fi and Other Local Area Networks in External Communication of Embodied AI Robots
• Introduction to NearLink Technology
• Application of NearLink in External Communication of Embodied AI Robots
• 2.5 Development Trends of Embodied AI Robot Communication
• Current Development Requirements for Precision and Latency in Humanoid Robot Motion Control
• TS-PON New-generation All-Fiber Industrial Optical Bus Technology
• TS-PON All-Optical Network Chip Robot Communication Architecture
• Paradigm Shift of Internal Control Network from "Distributed Functional Control" to "Zonal Centralized Control"
• Application of Time-sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet
• Architectural Innovation of TSN in Robot Communication
• Application Advantages of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) in Industrial Scenarios of Embodied AI Robots
• Advantages of NearLink Technology in Embodied AI Robots
• In-depth Optimization of DDS Middleware and ROS 2
• Migration of New-generation High-speed Serial Communication Technology to Robots

3 Communication Network Deployment Schemes of Major Embodied AI Robot Body Manufacturers

• 3.1 Unitree Technology Communication Architecture
• Unitree Humanoid Robot G1
• Software System Architecture of Unitree G1
• Dual-SoC Communication Architecture of Unitree G1
• Communication Parameters of Main Control Chip
• Communication Parameters of Joint Control Chip
• Internal Network Architecture and Topology
• Internal Bus and Actuator Communication
• Sensor Communication Path
• Physical Communication Interface Matrix (G1-Edu)
• Overview of Unitree G1 Communication Interfaces
• GPIO / Serial Bus Expansion Interfaces
• Core Technical Feature - Real-time Data Distribution Based on DDS
• Unitree Quadruped Robot Go2
• Main Control Board Module Layout of Unitree Go2
• Overview of Main Control Board Communication Module of Unitree Go2
• Overview of Wireless Communication Module of Unitree Go2
• Detailed Composition of Wireless Communication Module of Unitree Go2
• Parameters and Functions of Wireless Communication Module of Unitree Go2
• Communication Interface of Unitree Go2
• Multi-protocol Communication of Unitree Go2
• Core Communication Technologies of Unitree Go2 (1)
• Core Communication Technologies of Unitree Go2 (2)
• 3.2 AgiBot Communication Architecture
• Communication Architecture of AgiBot Lingxi X1
• Whole-machine Wiring of AgiBot Lingxi X1
• Whole-machine Circuitry of AgiBot Lingxi X1
• Core Communication Module DCU
• Execution Layer Communication Architecture
• Communication Parameters of Joint Motors
• 3.3 KUAVO Robot Communication Architecture
• Application of 5G-A Technology in KUAVO Robots
• Lower Computer Communication Configuration of KUAVO 5 MAX
• Upper Computer Parameter Configuration of KUAVO 5 MAX
• Dexterous Hand and Sensor Communication Configuration of KUAVO 5 MAX
• New-generation Leju KUAVO Robot Adopts NVIDIA Jetson Thor Communication Configuration
• 3.4 UBTECH Robot Communication Architecture
• Communication Parameters of UBTECH Robots
• Actuator Communication Network Architecture of UBTECH Robots
• Sensor Communication Network Architecture of UBTECH Robots
• UBTECH Robot BrainNet 2.0
• External Communication Architecture of UBTECH Robots
• Application of UWB Positioning Technology in UBTECH Robots
• 3.5 DEEP Robotics Robot Communication Architecture
• Joint Communication Configuration of DEEP Robotics J Series Robots
• Configuration Parameters of DEEP Robotics Jueying X20 Robot
• Configuration Parameters of DEEP Robotics Jueying Lite3 Robot
• External Communication Application of DEEP Robotics Lynx M20
• 3.6 Fourier Intelligence Robot Communication Architecture
• Basic Parameters of Fourier Robots
• Communication Architecture of Fourier Robot N1
• Partial Communication Bill of Materials of Fourier Humanoid Robot Fourier N1
• Electrical Architecture of Fourier Robot GR-1
• Electrical Architecture Disassembly of Fourier Robot GR-1
• 3.7 Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics Communication Architecture
• Communication Architecture Parameters of Tiangong 2.0
• Communication Capabilities of Cerebrum and Cerebellum Modules of Tiangong 2.0
• Dexterous Hand and Actuator Communication Architecture of Tiangong 2.0
• Sensor and Voice Module Communication Architecture of Tiangong 2.0
• Communication Architecture Parameters of Tianyi 2.0
• 3.8 Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Communication Architecture
• Perception and Control System Design of "Qinglong"
• Communication Architecture of "Qinglong" Robot
• Motion Control Computer Communication Architecture of "Qinglong"
• Arm and Actuator Communication Architecture of "Qinglong"
• Communication Device Execution Layer of "Qinglong"
• 3.9 Communication Architectures of Other Robot Manufacturers
• Tesla EtherLoop High-speed Bus Technology
• External Communication Configuration of Tesla Optimus
• Communication System of Xiaomi CyberOne
• Communication System Architecture of Xiaomi CyberOne
• Communication Parameters of LimX Dynamics LimX Oli Robot
• Communication Interfaces of LimX Dynamics LimX Oli Robot

4 Chinese Communication Chip and Module Vendors

• 4.1 GigaDevice Semiconductor
• Robot Chip Product Layout
• Robot Internal Communication Network Chips (1)
• Robot Internal Communication Network Chips (2)
• Joint Control Chips
• EtherCAT Servo Slave Station Solution
• High-performance MCUs
• Coreless Motor Solutions
• 4.2 Triductor Technology
• Communication Chip Products and Solutions
• Cooperation in the Field of Embodied AI Robots
• EtherCAT Extension Technology Layout
• EtherCAT Slave Station Control Chips
• NearLink Chip Series
• 4.3 HPMicro Semiconductor
• Humanoid Robot Product Layout (1)
• Humanoid Robot Product Layout (2)
• Robot Joint-specific Chip Modules
• HPM6E8Y-based Joint Motor Driver Solution
• MCUs Suitable for Robot Hands
• MCUs Suitable for Robot Joints
• 4.4 Codefair Semiconductor
• EtherCAT Slave Station Controller Chips
• Series Working Modes
• Series Chips (1)
• Series Chips (2)
• 4.5 Rockchip
• Strategic Layout in Robot Industry
• EtherCAT Bus: Real-time Ethernet Communication Solution for Robots
• Specialized Robot SDK and Grouped Development Board Platform
• High-performance SOCs (1)
• High-performance SOCs (2)
• EtherCAT Multi-axis Motion Control Solution
• 4.6 Motorcomm
• Robot PHY Chip Layout
• Gigabit Ethernet Physical Layer Chips
• Single-port 2.5G Ethernet Physical Layer Chips
• 4.7 ASIX Electronics
• Industrial Ethernet Chips (1)
• Industrial Ethernet Chips (2)
• Robot Arm Solutions
• Industrial Ethernet Chips (3)
• Self-developed Master Station Software Protocol Stack
• 4.8 NIIC
• Core Communication Technologies for Embodied AI
• NIIC Participated in the Drafting of Embodied AI Communication Standards
• Cooperation with Intel on Embodied AI Controllers
• Embodied AI Cerebrum and Cerebellum Network Configuration
• Flagship Embodied AI Cerebrum and Cerebellum Network Configuration
• 4.9 Geehy Semiconductor
• Robot Main Control + Communication Module Solution
• High-precision Encoder-specific MCUs
• Bus-type Low-voltage Servo Solutions
• Main Control Chips
• Motor Control SoCs
• 4.10 Nsing Technologies
• Embodied AI Robot Product Layout
• Embodied AI Robot Product Layout - Communication Performance Overview
• Drive Module Gateway Chips
• Joint Drive Module Chips
• Dexterous Hand Drive Chips
• 4.11 Other Chinese Communication Chip and Module Vendors
• Quectel's AI Modules
• Quectel's Edge Computing-enabled Development Boards and Multi-modal Handheld Terminals
• Meig Smart Technology's Industry-grade Edge AI BOX Solutions

5 Foreign Communication Chip and Module Vendors

• 5.1 Infineon
• Robot Communication Chip Module Layout
• Wireless Communication Chips
• Integrated EtherCAT MCU Solutions
• Microcontroller Solutions
• Customized Microcontroller Solutions for Humanoid Robots
• 5.2 TI
• Cooperation with Apptronik to Build Humanoid Robots
• Embedded Processor Solutions
• Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) Technology
• Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) PHY Chips
• Communication Capabilities of TMS Series High-performance MCUs
• MCU Communication Architecture Design
• MCU Communication Capabilities
• Decentralized or Distributed Architecture
• Drive MCUs
• Robot Controllers
• 5.3 NXP
• Three Core Product Lines and Layout for Embodied AI Robots
• Main Control MCU Communication
• Dexterous Hand Solutions
• EtherCAT + Motor Control Solutions
• Domain Controllers and CAN FD Gateway Products
• Cerebrum and Motion Control Products
• Advantages of NXP I3C Bus Topology Dexterous Hand Solutions
• 5.4 Altera
• Altera Spin-off to Deepen FPGA Full-stack Layout in the AI Era
• Robot Strategic Planning
• Agilex(TM) FPGA Product Portfolio
• EtherCAT Slave Station Solutions (1)
• EtherCAT Slave Station Solutions (2)
• 5.5 Renesas Electronics
• Advantages for Ethernet
• Robot Control and Communication Solutions
• Microcontrollers
• Single-chip Solutions for EtherCAT
• Robot-specific Communication and Remote I/O
• High-performance MCUs
• 5.6 STMicroelectronics
• Embodied AI Robot Layout
• High-performance MCUs
• Dexterous Hand Solutions
• Dual-motor Servo Drive Solutions with EtherCAT Connectivity
• RS-485 Transceiver
• 5.7 Microchip
• Microchip PolarFire(R) FPGA Series
• New-generation Optical Ethernet PHY Transceivers
• Microchip PCIe(R) Solutions
• High-performance Ethernet Solutions
• 5.8 Analog Devices (ADI)
• Core Products for Humanoid Robots
• Communication Connection Solutions for Embodied AI Robots
• GMSL and Ethernet Technologies
• Highly Integrated Hardware Intelligent Servo Motor Drive Control Chips
• SPE Products Connecting Sensors and Actuators
• Industrial Ethernet Physical Layer (PHY)
• Real-time Ethernet Multi-protocol Switch Chips
• 5.9 Onsemi
• Embodied AI Robot Layout
• Product Series for Embodied AI Robots
• Treo Analog and Mixed Signal Platform
• 10Base Ethernet Communication Solutions for Embodied AI Robots
• External Communication Solutions for Embodied AI Robots
• Motor Drive Solutions for Embodied AI Robots
• Dexterous Hand Solutions for Embodied AI Robots
• 5.10 Other Foreign Communication Chip and Module Vendors
• Xilinx Kintex UltraScale
• Lattice Semiconductor's Embedded Real-time Sensing and Control Solutions
• Lattice Semiconductor's Next-generation Small FPGA Platforms
• Beckhoff Specialized ASICs as EtherCAT Slave Station Controllers