• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, August 21, 2019

Consumer robots to help around the house are getting ready for a much larger role.

More than 74 million consumer robots are expected to be shipped in 2024, an increase from about 28 million this year, according to a new study.

Domestic-aide robots such as robot vacuums, mops and lawnmowers, are projected to reach 47 million units by that time, up from 19 million this year, according to the forecast by Juniper Research.

The domestic aide segment will account for nearly two-thirds of global consumer robot shipments by 2024, according to the study.

Juniper defines a consumer robot as “an autonomous, mobile electromechanical machine, capable of being programmed and re-programmed, that is used in the home or has non-commercial applications. It should be able to perceive its environment to some extent and react to it.”

However, the development and launching of consumer robots has not been without setbacks.

For example, makers of entertainment robots Jibo, Kuri and Anko are no longer in business. Social robot Jibo was even featured on the cover of Time in 2017 and had raised tens of millions of dollars.

The number of consumer robots is growing, primarily those that can assist or perform tasks to help time-pressed consumers.

Vacuuming a floor may not seem like a sophisticated robot use, but it’s functional, which is what matters most in the Internet of Things.