The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has just released their two annual World Robotics 2017 reports covering 2016 results. The reports rigorously examine industrial, professional service and personal service robot sales and units sold. As the robotics industry grows, so too do the number of research reports from other sources. Twenty of those research reports are also profiled below.

International Federation of Robotics Annual Reports

The fact-based backbone for many of the research reports shown below is the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) annual World Robotics Industrial Robots and World Robotics Service Robots reports. These two books represent the official tabulation and analysis from all the robot associations around the world and cover all aspects of industrial and service robotics.The 2017 reports cover 2016 activity.

Industrial Robots: By 2020 the IFR estimates that more than 1.7 million new industrial robots will be installed in factories worldwide. In 2017 robot installations are estimated to increase by 21% in the Asia-Australia region. Robot supplies in the Americas will surge by 16% and in Europe by 8%.

Service Robots: The IFR estimated that sales of all types of robots for domestic tasks – e.g. vacuum cleaning, lawnmowing, window cleaning – could reach almost 32 million units in the period 2018-2020, with an estimated value of about €10 bn ($11.7 bn). At the same time total unit sales of professional service robots are estimated to reach a total of almost €16 bn ($18.8 bn) – about 400,000 units will be sold.

The two reports can be purchased from the IFR for $2,100 (€1800 + VAT where applicable). The reports can also be purchased separately: the industrial report in pdf format costs $1,400 (€1200)​ and the service report $700 (€600).

Unmanned air, land and sea vehicles

• Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), Sept 2017, Value Market Research, $3,950
  The UUV market is projected to grow from $2.69 billion in 2017 to $5.20 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 14.07%.
• Emerging robotic technologies for marine applications, Sept 2017, Frost & Sullivan, $4,950
  Key trending applications include: autonomous surface vessels, unmanned underwater vehicle/robots, and shipboard robots.
• Mobile robots and drones in material handling and logistics, July 2017, 162 pages, IDTechEx, $4,995
  IDTechEx forecasts that the mobile robotics in material handling and logistics will become a $75 bn market by 2027 and more than double by 2038.
• Global military unmanned maritime systems market, July 2017, Frost & Sullivan, $4,950
  Frost & Sullivan forecast that UMS will transition from research and testing to a procurement focus by the early 2020s.
• Global military unmanned aerial systems market, July 2017, Frost & Sullivan, $1,500
  Forecasts prominent military UAS manufacturers to grow to between $11 billion and $12 billion annually by 2020.

Healthcare robotics

• Patient monitoring and assistance robots market, July 2017, 126 pages, Research n Reports, $2,800
  The global patient monitoring and assistance robots market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 30.27% during the period 2017-2021.
• Robotic exoskeletons market, Sept 2017, 105 pages, eMarketOrg, $2,900
  Featured companies included in the report: ReWalk Robotics, Ekso Bionics, Cyberdyne, Lockheed Martin, Parker Hannifin, Panasonic ActiveLink, Rex Bionics, Hocoma, Honda, Bionik Labs.
• Medical robotics and computer-assisted surgery, May 2017, 122 pages, BCC Research, $5,500
  This market is expected to increase from $4.0 billion in 2016 to $6.8 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3% for 2016-2021.
• Global cylindrical robot market, June 2017, 106 pages, Research n Reports, $3,500
  Defines and forecasts steady growth for this speciality industry: Neurosurgery Navigation System, Spinal/Trauma Surgery Navigation System and by End user Hospitals and Clinics.

Industrial and collaborative robots

• Collaborative robots market, Sep 2017, 150 pages, MarketsandMarkets, $5,650
  The collaborative robots market is expected to be worth $4.28 Billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 56.94% between 2017 and 2023.
• Top technologies in advanced mfg and automation, April 2017, Frost & Sullivan, $4,950
  Metal 3D printing and robotics will drive opportunities in multiple industries.
• Transformative technology adoption and attitudes, July 2017, ABI Research, $3,500
  Manufacturer adoption of collaborative robots is strong, becoming more aggressive in the near term.
• Global packaging robots market, April 2017, 105 pages, Variant Market Research, $4,995
  Estimated to reach $5 billion by 2024; growing at a CAGR of 14.6% from 2016 to 2024.
• Global industrial robotics rental market, July 2017, 92 pages, TechNavio, $2,650
  Forecasts the rental market to grow at a CAGR of 13.58% during the period 2017-2021.
• Industrial robots in China 2020, May 2017, 129 pages, STM Stieler Market Research
  Despite the already high sales level, robot sales rose again by 28% last year. China will be responsible for 40% of the worldwide demand by 2019. STM is forecasting the growth momentum will continue in 2017 and beyond.

Miscellaneous

• Sensors for robotics, Oct 2017, 122 pages, BCC Research, $5,500
  The global market for sensors for robotics should reach $840 million by 2022 from $510 million in 2017 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5%, from 2017 to 2022.
• Military robots market, Sept 2017, 188 pages, Markets and Markets, $5,845
  The military robots market is projected to grow from USD 16.79 Billion in 2017 to USD 30.83 Billionby 2022, at a CAGR of 12.92% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022.
• Top technologies in advanced manufacturing and automation, April 2017, Frost & Sullivan, $4,950
  Metal 3D printing and robotics will drive opportunities in multiple industries.
• Customer service robots, August 2017, 74 pages, Tractica, $4,200
  Worldwide revenue of customer service robots for retail, travel, hospitality reached and other customer-facing apps was $53.77 million in 2016 and Tractica expects that the market will continue to grow to $87.97 million by the end of 2022; a very low CAGR of 8.9%.
• Robotics in Industrial, Enterprise, Military, and Consumer Products, Services, and Solutions, August 2017, 268 pages, Mind Commerce, $2,350
  With the substantial amount of capital behind global industrial automation, the industrial robotics sector will continue a healthy growth trajectory.