Personal Robot Sales to Exceed $5 Billion by 2015, According to ABI Research

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.--(Business Wire)--
Recent years have seen the development of a significant personal robot market
beyond just toys, although even in entertainment robots (toys), there has been
substantial improvement over the wind-up robots of the past. A wider range of
task robots is on the market and in development, and entertainment robots have
expanded in capability and fallen in price as well.

Advances in military and commercial robots will continue to trickle down to the
consumer market, and components will see price declines driven by their use in
other markets (e.g., laser rangefinders in the automotive industry), according
to the ABI Research market study "Personal Robotics 2009: Task, Security &
Surveillance/Telepresence, Entertainment and Education Robot, and Robotic
Components Markets Through 2015"
(http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1003675-Personal+Robotics+2009). This ABI
Research study finds the personal robotics market in 2009 will achieve a global
value of $1.16 billion, and forecasts the market will more than quadruple by
2015, when worldwide shipments will be valued at $5.26 billion.

The personal robotics market encompasses consumer robotic products that have
some intelligence, interface with their environment through sensors, and perform
a desired function. This function may be to perform a task, to act as a security
system, to entertain people, or to be used as an educational tool.

The study finds North America is the largest market for personal robots. The
second-largest market for personal robots is the Asia-Pacific region, in part
due to Japan, where the culture embraces robots. Western Europe will grow to
become a significant market, but Europeans are interested less in the cachet of
owning a robot, and more in how well the robot performs its task.

Says study author Marc Liggio, the main personal robot market segments that have
thrived in recent years are vacuum cleaner robots and entertainment robots.
"Telepresence is a big buzzword in the personal robotics market. Robots with
telepresence capabilities facilitate the interaction of a remote user with
people and the environment through the robot. Telepresence is a coming business
solution which, while probably not sufficient in itself, may become a necessary
component of personal robots."

This study is published under the Human-Machine Technology Research Service
(http://www.abiresearch.com/product/service/Human-Machine_Technology_Research_Service),
which is a part of NextGen, the ABI Research emerging technologies research
incubator.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends
in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North
America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research`s worldwide team of experts advise
thousands of decision makers through 27 research and advisory services. Est.
1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

ABI Research
Larry Fisher, 516-624-2526
Fisher@NextGenResearch.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009