Robots Have a Big Future...as Our Maids

[Archiee]

The dream of robot servants helping us out around the home like Rosie from The Jetsons will require significant leaps in AI. Today, activity in the space is largely focused on corporate investment in tasks such as warehouse fulfillment and whatever uses the military may have for Boston Dynamics' headless and abuse-resistant robot mules.

But the proliferation of robot vacuums shows that we can expect robotics to proliferate. Juniper Research estimates that by 2022, the US and Europe will account for about half of global robot sales revenue.

That leaves a big slice to Asia, home of such robot-producing companies as Japan's Honda and Sony, Korea's LG, and Chinese companies such as Segway Ninebot, a division of savvy smartphone marketer Xiaomi.

Juniper suggests that 73.1 percent of robots sold by 2022 will serve in a domestic aide capacity. About 8.4 percent will be for educational purposes; 1.8 percent will be used for for healthcare. That leaves about 16.7 percent in the "other" category, so use your imagination.