Service robots have a wide range of applications, mainly engaged in maintenance, repair, transportation, cleaning, security, rescue, monitoring and other work. After several years of collection and sorting, the International Federation of Robotics has given a preliminary definition of a service robot: a service robot is a semi-autonomous or fully autonomous working robot, which can complete the service work that is beneficial to human health, but it does not include the equipment engaged in production. Here, we also include some other robots that are close to people's lives.
With the exception of mowing robots, almost all the world's equipped service robots were industrial robots by the end of 1999. The main applications of these special robots are: medical robots, multi-purpose mobile robot platform, underwater robots and cleaning robots.
By the end of 1999, there were at least 6,600 total service robots in the world, of which 3,000 were household robots, accounting for about 50%, underwater robots and medical robots accounted for 14% and 12%, respectively, cleaning robots accounted for 6%, and all other robots accounted for 23%.
The total number of service robots is expected to increase to 49,400 from 2000-2003, of which 40,000 are domestic robots (except for vacuums) and 5,000 are medical robots. Home vacuum cleaner robots will enter the market by the end of 2000, and if sold at a reasonable price, more than 250,000 units in 2003.
Total sales of home robots are expected to exceed 300,000 units, indicating that the service robot market is about to enter a brand new stage.
In terms of the demand and the existing technical level of the equipment, the robots used for the disabled have not yet met the expected goals. In the next 10 years, assistive robots will certainly become a key area of service robots. Many important research institutes are focusing on developing such robots.
Overall, one of the main difficulties in adoption is price; the other is that users are not aware about the benefits, efficiency and reliability of robots.
