Robotics Industry Welcomes New Trends
Date：2021-09-17
A recent report from the Economic Reference News indicates that China's robotics industry has experienced rapid development in recent years. Despite the impact of the pandemic, China's industrial robotics market contributed around 40% of the global market share in 2020, maintaining its position as the world's largest consumer of robots for consecutive years. The overall projection for China's robotics market size in 2021 is estimated to reach ¥839 billion.
Industry experts point out that the robotics industry is entering a window of upgrading and leapfrog development. China's leading demand in the global robotics market makes it a vital force supporting the industry's growth. Analysts emphasize the importance of advancing the integration of next-generation information technologies such as 5G, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. This integration is expected to enhance the intelligence and networking levels of robots, further driving the industry forward.
Industry experts point out that the robotics industry is entering a window of upgrading and leapfrog development. China's leading demand in the global robotics market makes it a vital force supporting the industry's growth. Analysts emphasize the importance of advancing the integration of next-generation information technologies such as 5G, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. This integration is expected to enhance the intelligence and networking levels of robots, further driving the industry forward.
Diverse Application Scenarios
Robots are hailed as the "crown jewel at the top of the manufacturing industry," with their development, manufacturing, and application serving as crucial indicators of a country's technological innovation and high-end manufacturing capabilities. From medical robotic arms performing surgeries to four-legged inspection robots navigating through forests, to high-temperature-resistant firefighting robots working continuously for 30 minutes in a 1000-degree Celsius environment—these represent the real achievements of China's innovative development in robotics showcased at the 2021 World Robot Conference.
Asking, "What kind of trash is a battery?" to an AI-powered trash station triggers the automatic opening of the lid for "hazardous waste." At the service robot exhibition area, an AI-powered trash station attracts considerable attention. Utilizing technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, this trash station can intelligently manage waste through classification.
Human-robot collaboration is a crucial trend in robotic technology innovation, with surgical robots being a typical application. In one exhibition area, operators are using a surgical robot to peel a fresh quail egg, demonstrating precise removal of the eggshell while retaining the membrane. With an accuracy of 0.3 millimeters, it can perform single-port laparoscopic surgery, providing patients with less invasive and more effective medical services.
Simultaneously, as industrial robot technology and processes mature, intelligent operating technologies and systems for industrial robots have been successfully applied in various high-end manufacturing industries such as aerospace, shipbuilding, automotive, and engines. Statistics show that domestic industrial robots are widely used in 47 major industry categories and 129 industry subcategories, securing China's position as the global leader in the industrial robot market for eight consecutive years.
"From the vast space to the deep sea, from factory workshops to fields, from the nation's vital equipment to people's daily lives, we are entering a colorful new world in harmony with robots," said Xin Guobin, Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology, during the conference. Chinese companies actively apply innovative technologies to robots, enriching and enhancing their product performance. Machine vision technology gives robots keen eyes, while 5G and cloud computing technologies significantly enhance their computational capabilities, endowing them with smarter brains. Intelligent sensing technology enables robots to sharply perceive their surrounding environment, bringing scenes that were previously only seen in science fiction movies into our real lives.
Asking, "What kind of trash is a battery?" to an AI-powered trash station triggers the automatic opening of the lid for "hazardous waste." At the service robot exhibition area, an AI-powered trash station attracts considerable attention. Utilizing technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, this trash station can intelligently manage waste through classification.
Human-robot collaboration is a crucial trend in robotic technology innovation, with surgical robots being a typical application. In one exhibition area, operators are using a surgical robot to peel a fresh quail egg, demonstrating precise removal of the eggshell while retaining the membrane. With an accuracy of 0.3 millimeters, it can perform single-port laparoscopic surgery, providing patients with less invasive and more effective medical services.
Simultaneously, as industrial robot technology and processes mature, intelligent operating technologies and systems for industrial robots have been successfully applied in various high-end manufacturing industries such as aerospace, shipbuilding, automotive, and engines. Statistics show that domestic industrial robots are widely used in 47 major industry categories and 129 industry subcategories, securing China's position as the global leader in the industrial robot market for eight consecutive years.
"From the vast space to the deep sea, from factory workshops to fields, from the nation's vital equipment to people's daily lives, we are entering a colorful new world in harmony with robots," said Xin Guobin, Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology, during the conference. Chinese companies actively apply innovative technologies to robots, enriching and enhancing their product performance. Machine vision technology gives robots keen eyes, while 5G and cloud computing technologies significantly enhance their computational capabilities, endowing them with smarter brains. Intelligent sensing technology enables robots to sharply perceive their surrounding environment, bringing scenes that were previously only seen in science fiction movies into our real lives.
Huge Market Scale
While innovating in robotic technology, the robotics industry is increasingly becoming a crucial driving force supporting economic and social development.
In 2020, China's industrial robot installations accounted for 44% of the global total. From 2016 to 2020, the production volume surged from 72,000 units to 212,000 units, with an annual growth rate of 31%. The demand for intelligence in sectors such as healthcare, elderly care, and education continues to grow. Service robots and specialized robots harbor enormous development potential. In 2020, the revenue of nationwide large-scale manufacturers of service robots and specialized robots reached ¥52.9 billion, marking a YoY growth of 41%.
The intelligent technology industry, represented by robots, is injecting new vitality into high-quality economic development. The global robotics ecosystem is evolving with openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning.
Notably, China leads the world in demand for the robotics market, serving as a cornerstone for the industry's development. According to the China Electronics Society's "China Robotics Industry Development Report (2021)," the projected market size for China's robotics industry in 2021 is ¥839 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 18.3% from 2016 to 2023.
The usage scenarios for service robots and specialized robots continue to expand, offering significant growth potential. The expected scale of China's service robot market in 2021 is ¥30.26 billion, surpassing the global growth rate for service robots. Additionally, the expected scale of China's specialized robot market is ¥9.07 billion, with a growth rate of 36.3%, exceeding the global average.
Robots have extended beyond the industrial sector, gradually flourishing in fields such as services, healthcare, wellness, education, and safety.
In 2020, China's industrial robot installations accounted for 44% of the global total. From 2016 to 2020, the production volume surged from 72,000 units to 212,000 units, with an annual growth rate of 31%. The demand for intelligence in sectors such as healthcare, elderly care, and education continues to grow. Service robots and specialized robots harbor enormous development potential. In 2020, the revenue of nationwide large-scale manufacturers of service robots and specialized robots reached ¥52.9 billion, marking a YoY growth of 41%.
The intelligent technology industry, represented by robots, is injecting new vitality into high-quality economic development. The global robotics ecosystem is evolving with openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning.
Notably, China leads the world in demand for the robotics market, serving as a cornerstone for the industry's development. According to the China Electronics Society's "China Robotics Industry Development Report (2021)," the projected market size for China's robotics industry in 2021 is ¥839 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 18.3% from 2016 to 2023.
The usage scenarios for service robots and specialized robots continue to expand, offering significant growth potential. The expected scale of China's service robot market in 2021 is ¥30.26 billion, surpassing the global growth rate for service robots. Additionally, the expected scale of China's specialized robot market is ¥9.07 billion, with a growth rate of 36.3%, exceeding the global average.
Robots have extended beyond the industrial sector, gradually flourishing in fields such as services, healthcare, wellness, education, and safety.
Breakthrough in Key Technologies
With the acceleration of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, the deep integration of next-generation information technology, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, and robot technology has propelled the robotics industry into a window of upgrading and leapfrog development.
The "14th Five-Year Plan" for the development of the robotics industry is currently under formulation, aiming to establish China as a global hub for robot technology innovation, a gathering place for high-end manufacturing, and a new highland for integrated applications.
Relevant departments are expediting their efforts. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will further promote the enhancement of industry innovation capabilities. It will grasp the trends in robot technology development, collaboratively break through common technical challenges in robot system development, conduct research and development in cutting-edge technologies such as bionic perception and cognition, advance the integration of new-generation information technologies like 5G, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, and elevate the intelligence and network capabilities of robots. Simultaneously, efforts will be made to consolidate the foundation of industrial development, particularly in key core components like reducers, control systems, and servo motors. This involves collaborative research initiatives between industry, academia, and research institutions to enhance the functionality, performance, and reliability of crucial robot components.
The "14th Five-Year Plan" for the development of the robotics industry is currently under formulation, aiming to establish China as a global hub for robot technology innovation, a gathering place for high-end manufacturing, and a new highland for integrated applications.
Relevant departments are expediting their efforts. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will further promote the enhancement of industry innovation capabilities. It will grasp the trends in robot technology development, collaboratively break through common technical challenges in robot system development, conduct research and development in cutting-edge technologies such as bionic perception and cognition, advance the integration of new-generation information technologies like 5G, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, and elevate the intelligence and network capabilities of robots. Simultaneously, efforts will be made to consolidate the foundation of industrial development, particularly in key core components like reducers, control systems, and servo motors. This involves collaborative research initiatives between industry, academia, and research institutions to enhance the functionality, performance, and reliability of crucial robot components.