Robots and the Future of Home assistance robots
Overview
Home assistance robots are becoming crucial players in both healthcare and residential markets. As they gain popularity, the demand for innovation increases, especially with respect to safety and reliability. Key takeaways from the data reveal a growing market for home assistance robotics, the need for certified safety features, and the implementation of dynamic, predictive safety measures.
Present State and Future of Home Assistance Robots
In the ever-evolving technological landscape, home assistance robots have emerged as a significant trend. These robots serve various purposes such as cleaning, maintenance, entertainment, education, and eldercare. According to the International Federation of Robotics, as of 2020, there were approximately 31.3 million robots in use for domestic purposes globally, showing a 63% increase from the previous year. This sharp rise signifies the growing need and reliance on robots for home assistance.
The Importance of Safety in Home Assistance Robots
Safety is a key concern when it comes to robot-human interaction. This is why the concept of safety certification significantly influences the acceptance and widespread use of robots in homes. A survey by the Consumer Technology Association revealed that more than 62% of consumers consider safety certifications important when using home robots, emphasizing the importance of technologies that offer robust safety features and evidence of system robustness.
The Need for Certified Safety Features in Robotics
Given the potential risks associated with robot-human interactions, regulatory bodies are placing significant emphasis on certified safety features. Companies creating safety features for robots must meet stringent guidelines, and robotics as well as AI companies are projected to spend close to $12 billion on certifications by 2025. Therefore, creating software to streamline and simplify the certification process is a key requirement in the current market.
Robots Navigating Dynamic Environments and Increasing Efficiency
With the increasing commonplace of robots in our homes, the development of their navigation capabilities in dynamic and unpredictable environments becomes vital. Data from Robotics and Automation News suggest that up to 30% of a robot's operating time can be lost due to collision-related stoppages. Consequently, software's capable of providing real-time guardrails for autonomy stacks and minimizing downtime are highly desired in the market today.
Key Takeaways
- The market for home assistance robotics is growing exponentially, necessitating the development of robust safety features.
- More than 60% of consumers deem safety certification a key element in their use of home robots.
- Regulatory bodies emphasize the requirement for software that can provide certified safety features.
- Enhancing a robot's ability to navigate dynamic and unpredictable environments could significantly increase operational efficiency and reduce downtime.
3Laws Robotics is suitably positioned to support these use cases. Their software, 3Laws Supervisor, offers a proactive approach to safety, unlocking the full potential of robotics through dynamic, predictive safety measures. Its core technology, Control Barrier Functions (CBFs), provides theoretically provable safety and is at the centre of their innovative software solution.
Applications of 3Laws' software have already shown significant efficiency improvements in warehouse automation and have aided safe robot-human interaction. Furthermore, their capability to adapt to different platforms including mobile robots, cars, drones, and manipulators shows the broad usefulness and versatility of their software.
3Laws is a pioneering force in safety solutions in robotics, moving beyond traditional e-stop methods to mitigate the known challenges in the robotics field. Offering technology that can be safety certified per ISO 3691-4 and ISO 26262 requirements, 3Laws positions itself as the future standard for safety certification in the robotics industry.