Consumer robot market to grow from $1.6 B in 2012 to $6.5B in 2017, as per ABI

ABI Research has reported the market for consumer robots was $1.6 billion in 2012, dominated by the task and entertainment segments. ABI forecasts this will grow to $6.5 billion in 2017 and will still be dominated by the same segments, with security/telepresence becoming more of a significant third segment. iRobot is still the main player, but more Asian-based companies are coming out with competing products and newer products like window-cleaning robots, as per ABI. “We are seeing more personal robot R&D from Western companies and more task robot development from Asian companies,” noted research director Philip Solis, “which is a reversal of past development trends.” ABI explains "Application processors and the array of sensors used in smartphones and media tablets have achieved great economies of scale for components that consumer robotics will leverage. The market for processors, microcontrollers, sensors, and physical components including actuators, servos, and manipulators was a little over $700 million in 2012 and will grow by five times that amount by 2017. The semiconductor portion of that is well over a third and will grow as products become more complex and capable." ABI says while the market for consumer robots is trudging ahead and growing, the lingering stagnant global economy has suppressed its market potential. There are also some safety concerns holdin...