The robotics market is poised for a significant transformation in the near future, growing into new industries and new applications that were once unassailable with previous robot technology.

2018 represented a major step in expanding the use of general robotics. For the first time, industries like food, consumer packaged goods, and life sciences are expanding robotics applications across their entire production lines in significant numbers. This expansion into new industries with new applications impacts how robots are designed and where they are being implemented, as new emphasis must be placed on flexibility, versatility, intelligence, connectivity, and precision.