Statistics on robots

According to http://www.worldrobotics.org/index.php

Total worldwide stock of operational industrial robots at the end of 2007 amounts between a minimum of 994,000 units and a possible maximum of 1,200,000 units. The minimum figure is based on the assumption that the average length of service life is 12 years. A UNECE/IFR pilot study has indicated that the average service life might in fact be as long as 15 years, which would result in 1,200,000 units.

Multipurpose industrial robots (Number of units)

Source: IFR (International Federation of Robotics), national robot associations and UNECE

Country	Operational stock at year-end
	2007	2008	2011
America (including USA)	165,328	176,500	204,200
Asia/Australia	498,786	512,600 0	589,900
China	23,908	31,400	57,900
Japan	356,240	353,300 0	355,200
Republic of Korea	72,972	77,300	101,700
Europe	328,568	345,200	389,300
France	33,462	34,500	33,462
Germany	140,161	145,200	158,100
Italy	61,589	64,500	70,100
Spain	2,709	2,409	27,367
Sweden	865	1,046	8,830
United Kingdom	15,340	15,300	13,800
Central/Eastern European countries	1,324	2,138	7,796
Africa	1,323	1,600	2,800
Total	994,005	1,035,900	1,185,900

Robot density in 2007 (number of robots per 10,000 persons employed)

Country	Manufacturing industry	Motor vehicle industry
Japan	310	2,100
Republic of Korea	185
Germany	234	1,439
Italy	116	1,772
United States	116	997
Sweden	115	600
Finland	96
France	82	929
United Kingdom		794
Spain	77	763

The densities in Denmark, Austria, the Benelux, Switzerland, Australia and the United Kingdom ranged between 76 and 50. In Norway, the density was 32 and in Portugal 20. Countries in Central and Eastern Europe, with the exception of the Czech Republic, have even lower densities.

The highest robot density is in the motor vehicle industry – 2 robots per 10 workers.

See also table in figindustrialrobots3

Service robots for professional use: 49,000 units installed up to the end of 2007

Including:

defense, rescue and security applications – 12,008 units (25%)

field robots (mainly milking robots) – 20%

cleaning robots – 12%

underwater systems – 12%

construction and demolition robots – 9%

medical robots – 9%

mobile robot platforms for general use – 7.4% .

Service robots for personal and private use: about 3.4 million units for domestic use and about 2.0million units for entertainment and leisure

See also tables in servicerobots

Prepared by Galina Vitkova