Sharp price drop expected: Robotic household helper for €15,000

 

"Whether this robot from the manufacturer Engineered Arts can manage the household is questionable.

 

Humanoid household helpers are on the rise. They could soon play a role economically as well. However, Germans are still divided on what to think of the technology.

 

In the next ten years, more and more Germans are likely to turn to robotic household helpers. According to the consumer electronics association GFU and the strategy consultancy Oliver Wyman, this is primarily due to the likely sharp decline in the costs of the devices.

 

The main factor holding back household robots is currently price, and this obstacle will disappear, says Wyman partner Martin Schulte: "The cost of a humanoid robot will more than halve by 2035" – from currently around €35,000 to €15,000. He expects "commercially relevant breakthroughs" for household robotics providers, especially in trades and gardening.

 

On Tuesday, the German Federal Institute for the Environment (GFU) and Oliver Wyman presented the results of a study on Germans' attitudes toward robot vacuum cleaners, humanoid chefs, and automated care assistants. According to the study, the topic polarizes the population. 37 percent of respondents expressed their approval, while 36 percent say a robot will not be coming into their home in the next five to ten years. A good quarter are neutral about the technology. From this, the study's authors conclude that "two-thirds of German consumers have recognized the advantages of household robots."

 

Reservations about babysitting robots

 

However, acceptance varies depending on age, income, and gender. While younger people would prefer to be assisted by household robots, those over 55 are more skeptical. People who already spend money on cleaning staff, gardeners, caregivers, or babysitters are particularly open to this idea. Support in areas such as security or gardening is generating particularly high levels of interest. In contrast, many are more reserved when it comes to personal matters such as personal hygiene. Robotic babysitting is met with strong reservations: Men approve of this at 36 percent, compared to 20 percent of women.

 

Generally, approval increases with income. While 50 to 60 percent of respondents with an annual income of less than €30,000 could imagine robotic assistance, the figure is 70 to 80 percent among those with an annual income of at least €80,000. A common concern is the expectation that household robots will make them overly dependent on technology and thus compromise their own abilities. Data protection concerns are also frequently expressed, as are fears of injury or damage due to malfunction.

 

No "futuristic visions" please

 

The bottom line is that the industry association GFU, which will once again host the IFA consumer electronics trade fair in Berlin in September, draws promising robotics opportunities for European home appliance manufacturers from the survey results. Respondents would rather buy a helper device from them than, for example, from tech generalists or AI companies. "What's crucial are functional, reliable solutions that actually make everyday life easier, not futuristic visions," says Managing Director Sara Warneke.

 

Other studies also see robotic household helpers on the rise. A study by the University of Oxford and Japan's Ochanomizu University concludes that 40 percent of household chores—such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping—could be automated within a decade. However, experts disagree on when the technology will ultimately achieve its breakthrough in the mass market. Forecasts range from a few years to several decades.”