Service robots have a wide range of applications, mainly engaged in maintenance, repair, transportation, cleaning, security, rescue, guardianship and other work. After several years of collection and collation, the International Federation of Robotics has given a preliminary definition of service robots: service robots are semi-autonomous or fully autonomous robots, which can complete service work that is beneficial to human health, but does not include equipment engaged in production. Here, we include some other robots that are close to people's lives.
In addition to lawn mower robots, by the end of 1999, almost all of the service robots equipped in the world were industrial robots. The main application areas of these specialized robots are: medical robots, multi-purpose mobile robot platforms, underwater robots and cleaning robots.
At the end of 1999, there were at least 6,600 service robots in the world, including 3,000 domestic robots, accounting for about 50%, underwater robots and medical robots accounting for 14% and 12% respectively, cleaning robots accounting for 6%, and all other robots accounting for 23%.
It is expected that the total number of service robots will increase to 49,400 in 2000-2003, of which 40,000 will be domestic robots (except vacuum cleaning robots) and 5,000 will be medical robots. Household vacuum robots will enter the market by the end of 2000, and if the price is reasonable, sales may reach more than 250,000 units in 2003.
Total sales of household robots are expected to exceed 300,000 units, indicating that the service robot market is about to enter a new phase.
In terms of demand and the current level of equipment, robots for the disabled have not yet reached the expected goals. In the next 10 years, disability robots will definitely become a key area of service robots. Many important research institutes are concentrating their efforts on the development of such robots.
As far as the overall view of service robots, one of the main difficulties in popularization is the price problem; The other is that users are not fully aware of the benefits, efficiency, and reliability of robots.
