Hexagon Live Global 2025 Highlights the Future of Autonomy and Manufacturing Innovation!

Hexagon AB, a global leader in digital solutions, held its annual Hexagon Live Global conference from June 16 to 19, 2025, at the Fontainebleau Resort in Las Vegas. This year marked a significant milestone as the company celebrated a quarter-century of measuring technology development, which began with the acquisition of metrology tool manufacturer Brown & Sharpe in 2001. The event, titled “Beyond Measure – Unlocking the Next Frontier of True Autonomy,” showcased Hexagon’s advances in the realms of digital transformation, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on the evolution of true autonomy in manufacturing processes.

During the keynote address, Ola Rollén, chairman of the board at Hexagon AB, emphasized the profound impact measurement technologies have had on human achievements. He referenced how vital it is to measure distances accurately to even perform a task as complex as landing on the moon, illustrating the importance of precision and innovation in technology. Rollén also looked back on Hexagon’s journey, noting the company’s transition from sensor development to bridging the physical and digital worlds in 2010—a shift that today is known as the concept of digital twins, which has revolutionized industries like med tech, mechanical engineering, and electronics.

A key highlight of the event was the announcement of the new division, Hexagon Robotics, led by Arnaud Robert. Robert’s presentation on the importance of true autonomy featured the Aeon humanoid robot—a cutting-edge development for industrial applications. Aeon is designed to adapt to existing infrastructure, which Rollén sees as a critical advantage since the world was designed by humans for humans. Aeon is powered by AI and has 12 cameras, 22 sensors, and the ability to perform self-swapping of batteries for continuous operation. Its versatile design enables it to conduct tasks like asset inspection and reality capture, marking a significant step forward in automation and AI integration.

Hexagon also announced the spin-off of its divisions into Octave, a new company focused on mission-critical assets and infrastructures. Octave, which combines four key software companies (ALI, SIG, ETQ, and BRICSYS), will focus on providing solutions for industries like energy, transport, and advanced production facilities, with an emphasis on improving asset management, operation, and protection.

Throughout the conference, the attendees had the opportunity to explore innovations at The Zone, where Hexagon displayed technological advancements across defense, industrial facilities, manufacturing, mining, and safety sectors. One standout exhibit was the Kuzma self-playing guitar, a demonstration of autonomy and automation at work.

Another critical session was the Advanced Manufacturing Report 2025, presented by Paul Miller, Vice President at Forrester Research. The commissioned study highlighted key trends shaping the future of manufacturing, focusing on agility, sustainability, and AI adoption. The study revealed that agility remains a significant concern for manufacturing leaders, with many executives reporting that rigid processes hinder adaptability. Furthermore, Miller identified four primary trends that will define the future of manufacturing:

1. Integrating digital technology with physical products—referred to as “a shift from grease to code.”
2. Embracing local, near, and far manufacturing capacity.
3. Balancing the automation triangle, which involves people, hardware automation, and software automation.
4. Electrifying and decarbonizing manufacturing processes to achieve sustainability.

Hexagon Live Global 2025 was an important event that not only highlighted Hexagon’s advancements in measurement and automation but also underscored the company’s commitment to shaping the future of manufacturing with a focus on autonomy, AI, and digital innovation. As industries across the globe continue to face challenges and opportunities driven by technological progress, Hexagon’s innovations are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the manufacturing landscape in the years to come.