Humanoid robots are shifting from prototypes to commercial products. The global market is expected to reach $200bn by 2035, up from about $2bn to $3bn in 2026 (Barclays, 2026). In 2025 alone, 40 new humanoid models debuted worldwide (Morgan Stanley, 2026). Many are designed to execute single domestic chores, either consumer-directed or acting autonomously.

Exoskeletons will be the fastest-growing robotics segment with a 38% expected annualised growth rate between 2024 and 2030 (GlobalData, 2025). This surge is driven by a wave of lightweight hip‑, knee‑ and ankle‑mounted exoskeletons, designed to support both everyday movement and sporting activities.

Companion robots are enhancing seniors’ wellbeing. AI advancements enable these robots to offer empathetic responses, making interactions more realistic. However, seniors prefer robots for household chores, not interpersonal reactions (despite research on their emotional and social benefits) – a preference brands should be aware of when developing companion bots.

Robotic interactions are growing more sophisticated as AI advances, improving robots’ ability to respond to emotional cues and simulate empathy. New models feature customisable personalities that develop over time, alongside memory systems that allow them to reference shared experiences in conversation, gradually building something that approximates a two-sided relationship. See CES 2026: Personal Electronics for more.

As more people use tech to monitor and care for their pets, pet companion robots are gaining traction. By 2035, the market is expected to reach $1.24bn, up from $480m in 2025 (Fact.MR, 2025). Equipped with cameras and AI, these robots track animal behaviour, send owners activity alerts and engage pets with digital and analogue entertainment.

Once limited to flat floors, robotic vacuums can now climb and descend stairs autonomously. This leap in capability comes as the global market accelerates. It’s forecast to surpass $39.9bn by 2036, from $12.5bn in 2026 (FMI, 2026).