If science fiction movies hold the least bit of truth, it’s only a matter of time before robots will rise up and reach for world domination. Until that day comes however, our metallic overlords in the making have a lot of cleaning to do.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, the market for robotics in personal and domestic applications will be dominated by robots cleaning floors and mowing the lawn for the next few years. The IFR expects 31 million household robots to be sold between 2016 and 2019, 96 percent of which will be vacuum and floor cleaning robots. Entertainment robots are expected to account for 11 million units sold until 2019, while assistive robots for elderly or handicapped people will remain a rarity for the foreseeable future.
Robotics is one of the main themes of this year’s Hanover Fair, the world’s leading industrial trade show taking place in Northern Germany this week.
This chart shows estimated worldwide unit sales of robots for personal/domestic use.