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October 21, 2004
Robot Use to Surge Sevenfold by 2007
AP reports on the United Nations Robots 2004 study:
"The use of robots around the home to mow lawns, vacuum floors, pull guard duty and perform other chores is set to surge sevenfold by 2007, says a new U.N. survey, which credits dropping prices for the robot boom.
"The report, issued Wednesday by the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe and the International Federation of Robotics, says 607,000 automated domestic helpers were in use at the end of 2003, two thirds of them purchased last year. Most of them - 570,000 - were robot vacuum cleaners. Sales of lawn-mowing robots reached 37,000.
"By the end of the decade, the study says, robots will "also assist old and handicapped people with sophisticated interactive equipment, carry out surgery, inspect pipes and sites that are hazardous to people, fight fire and bombs."
URL:
U.N.: Robot Use to Surge Sevenfold by 2007, Jonathan Fowler, AP, Oct 20, 9:07 PM (ET), http://apnews.excite.com/article/20041021/D85RGNNO0.html
UNECE issues its 2004 World Robotics survey, http://www.unece.org/press/pr2004/04robots_index.htm>
Posted by sjc at October 21, 2004 7:52 AM
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