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Study Says 4.1M Domestic Robots In Use By 2007

Posted by samzenpus on from the let-the-machine-do-it dept.

jangobongo writes "The U.N.'s annual World Robotics Survey for 2004 predicts that there will be a seven-fold surge in household robots by the end of 2007. Robots that mow your lawn, vacuum, wash windows, clean swimming pools, as well as entertainment robots such as Aibo are all vying to take a place in our homes and ease our workload. The study says that Japan is the leader in consumer robotics, with Europe and North America quickly catching up."

7 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. Let me be the first to say... by metlin · · Score: 5, Funny



    I, for one, welcome our new lawn mowing window washing swim suit wearing robotic over...err...dogs?

    1. Re:Let me be the first to say... by swordboy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Not so fast - read closer:

      The U.N.'s annual World Robotics Survey for 2004 predicts that there will be a seven-fold surge in household robots by the end of 2007.

      Hmmm... multiply, carry the one... There it is... in 2007, there will be a grand total of SEVEN household robots.

      Nothing times a billion is still nothing. I would hardly call it a surge.

      --

      Life is the leading cause of death in America.
  2. Time to get by beacher · · Score: 5, Funny

    ROBOT INSURANCE!!!!! Because robots have steel claws and they eat old peoples medicine for food!

  3. Another type of robots by Underholdning · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They forgot sex robots. Add a bit of movement and AI to a RealDoll and you will have a bestseller.
    (I'm only partially kidding.)

    --
    Underholdning.info
  4. Re:Yup by Short+Circuit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But how many years ahead were the predictions? This study says three years. Weren't flying cars predicted for fifty?

    In terms of maturity, the technology behind household robots is a lot closer to producing affordable units than that behind flying cars.

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
  5. What is a robot? by Laur · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What exactly is the definition of a robot here? Why is a machine that washes your dishes an "appliance" while a machine that mows your lawn is a "robot"? How about washers/dryers (some even have advanced computer control)? What if you put a sophisticated computer in a toaster or a fridge? Where is the line drawn?

    --
    When you lose something irreplaceable, you don't mourn for the thing you lost, you mourn for yourself. - Harpo Marx
  6. what will the kiddies do then? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    Robots that mow your lawn, vacuum, wash windows, clean swimming pools

    I thought this was why people had kids.