Robot Sales Are Exploding

Roland Piquepaille writes "The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) just released its 2003 World Robotics survey. The original press release by UNECE has 15 pages in PDF format, while the full report represents 380 pages. Here are the three essential findings: robot orders in first half of 2003 were up by 26% to the highest level ever recorded; worldwide growth in the period 2003-2006 will reach an average annual rate of 7.4%; and household robots are starting to take off. "It is projected that sales of all types of domestic robots (vacuum cleaning, lawn-mowing, window cleaning and other types) in the period 2003-2006 can reach some 638,000 units." This overview contains more details including a chart showing the growth of domestic robots for the period 2003-2006."

Comments

Lazy People!

[jolyonr]

I think I'll wait until I can get a robot that'll go down to the Gym and exercise on my behalf.

Jolyon

Re:i like robots, joke:

[qewl]

Why do robots have small wheels?

So they can stand closer to the kitchen sink.

We know, we know

[Faust7]

all types of domestic robots (vacuum cleaning, lawn-mowing, window cleaning and other types)

Excellent gloss-over of "other types." It's okay, we know what you were thinking.

Think ahead

[eyeball]

Someone should prepare the robots for the day when their jobs go overseas to India.

Re:Asimov got it wrong

[Carme]

Hey, if you can figure out how to program the three laws into today's robots, we'd all love to
hear your technique.

10 IF ACTION = KILLHUMAN THEN STOP
20 IF ACTION = TAKEORDER THEN DO
30 IF ACTION = SUICIDE THEN STOP
40 GOTO 10

Jesus, do I have to do everything?