A new report from Guidehouse Insights explores the market landscape and potential for home robots.
Despite optimistic product launches from prestigious high-tech companies and start-ups, the market for robots in the home has had limited success to date. However, there is reason for hope—according to a new report from Guidehouse Insights, with the success of at least one home robot application and the growth of others, confidence is high for more applications in the future. The in-home navigation technology developed for robotic vacuums—the primary success story for home robotics—has enabled other applications, including social robots and home healthcare robots, which serve certain niche markets with highly customized human-like interactions, and robots designed to enhance the smart home’s capabilities.
“Home robots have the potential to make life more convenient and fulfilling in the early 21st century, removing drudgery and increasing free time, as household appliances did for families in the 20th century,” says William Hughes, principal research analyst with Guidehouse Insights. “The transition to using more robots in the home will likely be slower than many might wish but it is unstoppable.”
The technology embedded in robotic vacuums enables other home robot categories. In addition to home maintenance, some robots are useful for consumers who need help carrying items, for food preparation, and for home healthcare. A new and interesting category is robots designed to enhance smart home functionality by bringing a voice-activated speaker closer to the user, offering a moveable security camera, and providing social engagement options, according to the report.
The report, Expanding the Market for Home Robots Beyond Smart Vacuums, explores the status of the myriad applications for robots in the home, examines the implications for the adoption of home robot applications, and looks at factors that will likely affect smart home adoption. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the Guidehouse Insights website.
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