At CES 2026, the world's largest consumer electronics show, Qualcomm made a significant push into the future of automation, unveiling a comprehensive new robotics platform. The centerpiece of this announcement is the Dragonwing IQ10 series processor, a chip designed to serve as the high-performance, energy-efficient "brain" for a new wave of robots, from warehouse logistics machines to advanced humanoids. This move signals Qualcomm's ambition to become a foundational player in the rapidly evolving physical AI and robotics market, leveraging its expertise in mobile and edge computing to power machines that interact with the real world.
A New Processor for the Age of Physical AI
The Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ10 series is positioned as a dedicated robotics processor, a significant evolution from the company's previous mobile-centric designs. It is engineered to handle the complex, concurrent workloads required for autonomous operation, including advanced perception, real-time motion planning, and sophisticated human-robot interaction. Qualcomm emphasizes that the architecture is built for "mixed-criticality systems," meaning it can safely manage both non-critical tasks (like environmental mapping) and safety-critical functions (like collision avoidance) on a single chip. This integration is crucial for reducing system complexity, cost, and power consumption in deployable robots.
Key Specifications of the Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ10 Series:
- CPU: 18-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU
- Claimed CPU Performance: 5x over previous generation
- AI Compute Performance (Peak): 700 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second)
- Camera Support: Concurrent processing for up to 20 cameras
- Target Applications: Industrial AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) and advanced full-size humanoid robots
- Key Features: Support for mixed-criticality systems, end-to-end AI models (VLMs/VLAs), and a focus on energy efficiency and scalability.
Powering Scalability from Factories to Humanoids
A key promise of the Dragonwing IQ10 platform is its scalability. Qualcomm envisions it powering a wide spectrum of "general-purpose robotics form factors." On one end are Industrial Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for logistics and manufacturing, which require reliable navigation and object handling. On the other are "full-size humanoids," like the VinMotion Motion 2 robot also showcased at CES. By offering a common architectural foundation, Qualcomm aims to accelerate development across the industry, allowing partners to build upon a proven hardware and software stack rather than developing everything from scratch.
Technical Muscle for AI at the Edge
The chip's specifications are geared towards demanding edge AI applications. It features an 18-core Oryon CPU, which Qualcomm claims delivers a 5x performance boost over its previous generation. For perception—a robot's ability to see and understand its environment—the IQ10 supports concurrent processing from up to 20 camera inputs. Most critically for AI workloads, it boasts a peak compute performance of 700 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second). This raw power is intended to run end-to-end AI models, including Vision-Language Models (VLMs) and Vision-Language-Action models (VLAs), which are essential for enabling robots to understand natural language commands and perform generalized manipulation tasks.
The Ecosystem and the Road to Deployment
Qualcomm's strategy extends beyond silicon. The company announced collaborations with robotics firms like Booster and VinMotion, whose Motion 2 humanoid is powered by the preceding Dragonwing IQ9 chip. These partnerships are vital for creating a robust hardware-software ecosystem. Qualcomm is also providing a suite of developer tools and promoting an "AI data flywheel," where real-world deployment data is used to continuously improve the platform's software models. The ultimate goal, as stated by Qualcomm executives, is to move robotics from the prototype stage into "practical, real-world deployment across industrial applications," targeting sectors like retail, logistics, and manufacturing automation.
Announced Ecosystem Partners & Demonstrations:
- VinMotion: Showcasing the "Motion 2" humanoid robot at the Qualcomm booth (5001) at CES 2026. This robot is powered by the previous-generation Dragonwing IQ9 processor, with collaboration announced for next-gen platforms.
- Booster: Listed as a partner using Qualcomm Dragonwing processors for industry-leading humanoid robots.
- Qualcomm's Broader IoT Strategy: The announcement was part of a larger suite of IoT and automotive reveals, including new IoT chipsets (Q-7790, Q-8750) and an update on the Snapdragon Digital Chassis for cars.
A Calculated Bet on the Future of Automation
With the Dragonwing IQ10, Qualcomm is making a clear statement: the convergence of advanced AI, efficient processing, and robust safety architectures will define the next generation of robotics. While details on pricing, specific benchmark comparisons, or potential security audits were not disclosed in the initial announcement, the platform's focus on energy efficiency, scalability, and a growing partner network addresses key hurdles to widespread adoption. As robots become more capable and move out of controlled labs into dynamic real-world settings, the battle for the silicon inside them intensifies. Qualcomm's CES 2026 reveal positions it as a formidable contender in this new arena.