March 24, 2023
Household Robots: Time to Invest?
Garrett Burnett
Household robots specifically designed to complete often arduous, domestic tasks or provide companionship are not new. They have existed in our homes since the early 1980s with the introduction of HERO Jr. (RT-1). The HERO Jr. was able to provide a limited range of functions that included singing songs, repeating its owner’s name, and act as an alarm clock. Despite these limited functions, the HERO Jr. sported a price tag of nearly £2,500 (adjusted for inflation). As you can imagine, these robots were not a staple in homes across the world. However, this is rapidly changing.
The domestic robot market has done nothing but grow as AI and machine learning have further developed. According to Yahoo Finance analysis of a Polaris Market Research Study, “the global household robots market Size & share was valued at USD 8.03 Billion in 2021 and is predicted to increase at a CAGR of 16.8% to reach USD 31.99 Billion by 2030.” This near quadruplication of the market size and share of global household robots is very telling of what we as people will be willing to spend our time doing in the future. You can already walk into houses across the world and see a little, robot disc sliding along the floor sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming your floors. The days of doing your least favourite chore are numbered.
Cost-Effectiveness
A massive drawback to many of the domestic robots and something that had slowed their growth in the 1990s and early 2000s was the often-high price tag. This was especially detrimental when the robots were only capable of very limited and narrow functions. It was incredibly difficult to justify spending thousands of pounds on a robot with an advertised, primary function of replacing your cheap alarm clock. As technology develops and becomes more widely accessible, the dream of having a home full of these robots is becoming attainable. Although the robots are by no means cheap, the prices have reduced significantly in the last five years. Additionally, the market for domestic robots is becoming increasingly crowded. The days of Roomba being the only supplier of the beloved robot vacuum and long gone. You can find cheaper and comparable alternatives for a much lower price.
With the rapid advancement in technology coupled with a significant reduction in cost, these robots have become much more enticing. This increasing market has led to a wider variation of products that can be used for tasks previously unimaginable.
New Robots
We have come quite a long way since the HERO Jr. entered the market in 1984. In late September 2022, Sony released the latest trailer of POIQ. This robot stands at an unassuming 12 centimetres, but it is packed with loads of information to share with its users. It is currently being marketed towards adults as a companion and entertainment robot. It can remember several faces and continue conversations where they previously ended.
Yarbo has introduced a “3-in-1 intelligent yard robot” that can cut your grass and clear it of any snow or leaves. For £5,800, you can bring home your perfect yard assistant. Although, you will not be able to bring your personal lawn robot home until May of 2024 as it is still in the pre-order phase.
Miko 3 is an educational companion for your child. This robot can learn how to respond to your different moods and even attempt to better your mood. Miko 3 also comes with a much more modest price tag at £199. Although, the robot companions targeted towards children remind me most of the recent, successful horror movie M3GAN. In this movie, a new robot companion toy becomes violent resulting in the deaths of several people. This is a story has that has been told for decades. However, with that being said, let us leave the paranoia to the sci-fi horror movies and let us enjoy relaxing while a robot does our chores.
As you can see, there is a wide range of domestic robots that cater to everyone’s needs. You can find a friend or even a lawnmower. The functions of these robots are widely varied, and we are edging closer to a robot that will be able to tackle every task that we do not want to do.