2010: Robots everywhere

According to the IFR, there will be almost 1.2 million operational industrial robots worldwide by the end of 2010, with the number of service robots for professional use expected to increase by 35,500 between 2007 and 2010. Most of these robots will be used in the automobile and electronics industries.

The biggest development, however, will be in sales of personal robots, which will reach 3.6 million units total during the 2007-2010 period. Domestic robots - including vacuum cleaning, lawn mowing, and other similar types of robots - are expected to account for some 1.34 million sales units. Sales of entertainment and leisure robots, such as can be found in toys, are forecast to hit 2.2 million units.

Links: World Robotics Report