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Mobile robots are thriving globally: for example, unit sales of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) in the logistics industry will grow 31% annually between 2020 and 2023. At the same time, AMR usage in public environments will also increase rapidly—IFR forecasts global unit sales will grow 40% annually.
The International Federation of Robotics studied how mobility is reshaping robotics technology and why this is a game-changing revolution, publishing findings in a new paper "The Mobility Revolution".
"Mobile robots traditionally operated in industrial environments to transport parts throughout factories or feeders," said Milton Guerry, President of the International Federation of Robotics. "Today, AMRs are also suitable for applications involving public interaction. They provide information to shoppers, deliver room service orders in hotels, or support police by patrolling city districts. IFR's Mobility Revolution paper outlines major use cases for mobile robots and their most important impacts."
History of Autonomous Mobile Robots
Although researchers have been working on autonomous mobile technology since the 1940s, autonomous mobile robots only became commercially viable in the past decade. This was primarily due to the availability of more powerful and affordable computing power. This led to rapid advancement in sensors, vision, and analytical technologies, enabling robots to connect to their environment in real-time. Today, "autonomous mobile robots" show double-digit growth. AMRs autonomously navigate and perform functions in industrial and service sectors, paving the way for global adoption of mobile robots.
BlueBotics mini™ mobile robot operating in ABB's semiconductor manufacturing plant in Lenzburg, Switzerland. © ABB
Mobile Robot Outlook
"Mobile robotics is a dynamic development field, and we look forward to exciting advances in the next decade," said Milton Guerry. These advances will occur in both hardware and software. Mobile robots will become lighter and more flexible. AMRs and service robots will be able to navigate more easily across various indoor and outdoor environments, as advances in sensors and software algorithms mean navigation and vision become increasingly precise.
