People Make a House, a Home, Robots Make it a Smart Home

As the concept of home automation continues to become more and more popular, robots for smart homes are seeing a tremendous rise in demand. According to the research firm MarketsandMarkets, the market for household robots is set to grow at a CAGR of 22.4 percent from 2019 to 2024. Several companies, from startups to tech giants are coming up with robots of various sizes and shapes that can perform several functions within the house to make your life easier.

To make things all-the-more attractive, smart home robots are becoming increasingly affordable too. Prices of integral components like actuators and microcontrollers continue to reduce day by day, reducing the overall production cost. Several manufacturers are also trying to lower the price in an attempt to attract early adopters.

However, unlike other sectors like factories and security where robots are often used, household robots are a very broad segment. This is simply because the tasks in a home are so varied that different kinds of robots are required to take care of them. In this article, we explore some of the most common types of smart home robots to help you decide which is the best for you.

Cleaning robots

There are also robots that can clean gutters, swimming pools, windows, and even clean up after your pet does its thing. An upcoming robot named Beetl, which is reportedly still in the concept phase, can search for and detect dog poop by itself to clean it up. Perhaps the most well-known among all household robots are the flat, round machines that run around to vacuum the floor. The US-based company iRobot’s Roomba was the first to become synonymous with vacuum cleaning robots. Now there are manufacturers from all over the world offering similar products. And what’s more, some of these machines can even wash and mop the floor.

Surveillance robots

They are also useful in two-way audio communication. So, if you want to calm your pet down with your voice, the speaker on the robot will come in handy. Some of these robots can even play music and entertain you. Webcams and surveillance cameras are a great option when you need to keep an eye on a specific area of the house. But what if you need to monitor a pet or your child who keeps moving from one place to another? This is where a surveillance robot comes in handy. They can follow the pet or child around and transmit real-time video to your mobile phones.

Surveillance robots may also come with sensors that can detect suspicious movements and alert the owner instantly. Some of them are so smart that they can detect when the owner is at home and turn on the active mode as soon as they leave the house.

Lawnmowers

Lawns are pretty and popular among home-owners but lawnmowing is not something most people want to do. Realizing this as a potential market, some robot manufacturers have come up with robotic lawnmowers that can do the job on their own every day. When low on battery, they will automatically dock for charging.

Friend and assistant

Robotic pets have been around for a while now, but their function has mostly been limited to entertainment for children. Now, companies like Asus offer companion robots. They may not be as smart as the R2D2 but are still good at a number of everyday tasks.

These can be used for a range of activities, from simple things like taking selfies and playing videos to online shopping by voice and even alerting specified people if there is an emergency. Asus’ Zenbo, for instance, can detect if its owner falls down and alert relatives or friends. Others like Cue robot come with customizable personality profiles to suit your needs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Author

Prasanth Aby Thomas has written extensively on global security,  automation, and smart technologies industries. He is a Senior Journalist and tech reporter and has worked with several publications in India and abroad. He completed a Masters  Degree in International Journalism from the University of Bournemouth, Dorset.