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channels. Service robots for personal and domestic use are mainly
in the areas of domestic (household) robots, which include vacuum
cleaning and lawn-mowing robots, and entertainment and leisure
robots, such as toy robots, hobby systems, and education and train-
ing robots.
The market for robots for handicap assistance is still small, but is
expected to double in 2010. Robots for personal transportation and
home security and surveillance robots will also increase in impor-
tance in the future.
Up to the end of 2008, accumulated sales of vacuum cleaning
robots resulted in 2.37 million units. At the end of 2008, the stock of
lawn-mowing robots amounted to 91,950 units.

8.18 Projections for the Period 2007–2010
Turning to the projections for the period 2007–2010, the stock of ser-
vice robots for professional use is forecast to increase by some 35,900
units (Fig. 8.46). Application areas with strong growth are defense,
rescue and security applications, field robots, cleaning robots, medi-
cal robots, and mobile robot platforms for multiple uses.
Around 3.7 million units of service robots for personal use are
expected to be sold. It is projected that sales of all types of domestic
robots (vacuum cleaning, lawn-mowing, window cleaning, and other
types) in the period 2007–2010 could reach some 1.39 million units
(Fig. 8.47). The market for entertainment and leisure robots, which
includes toy robots, is forecast at about 2.25 million units, most of
which, of course, are very low cost.

Service robots for professional use. Stock at the end of 2006 and
projected installations in 2007 – 2010
14,000
12,000
Number of units 8,000
10,000

6,000
4,000
2,000
0
Construction/demolition
Underwater Defence, rescue, security Field Mobile robot Medical Logistic All others
Cleaning
platforms
New installations 2007 – 2010
Up to end 2006

FIGURE 8.46 Robot installation projection 2006–2010 for industrial use.