The 2016 China Guangzhou International Robotics, Intelligent Equipment and Manufacturing Technology Exhibition opened today at the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center. The exhibition will bring together cutting-edge global manufacturers and buyers to showcase products in areas including service robots, industrial robots, educational robots, and product application solutions. It will provide a professional platform for communication and cooperation between domestic and international intelligent manufacturing companies, further promoting the rapid development of my country's robotics industry.

According to data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), global industrial robot sales reached 248,000 units last year, a year-on-year increase of 12%. Chinese industrial robot sales reached 67,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 17%. my country has become the world's largest industrial robot market, with domestic companies holding a 31% market share. Compared to industrial robots, service robots, especially household service robots, have seen significant growth in shipments. In 2014, sales of household service robots reached 4.7 million units, a year-on-year increase of 28%.

Service robots are primarily categorized as professional service robots and household service robots. While household service robots have relatively lower requirements for precision and accuracy, safety, practicality, artificial intelligence, and design are more critical for human-machine interaction. Currently, service robots are rapidly developing in areas such as sweeping and cleaning, as well as medical rehabilitation. Due to their simple functions and affordable price, sweeping robots are suitable for personal and family use. The IFR predicts that cleaning robots will first enter the home market in the next few years, with global sales of sweeping robots expected to reach 25 million units and mopping robots 496,000 units, resulting in a market size expected to reach approximately 82.5 billion yuan.

With the increasing number of people with physical disabilities and the aging population in my country, market demand for rehabilitation robots is expected to surge. Data shows that as of 2010, the total number of people with disabilities in my country reached 85.02 million, of whom 24.72 million had physical disabilities. Furthermore, the elderly are at increased risk for diseases such as bone and joint problems and stroke. Over 2 million new cases of cerebral hemorrhage occur in my country each year, and 85% of stroke patients experience lateral limb motor dysfunction. Traditional, simple medical devices are currently unable to meet patients' rehabilitation needs. Rehabilitation robots offer advantages such as personalized treatment and reduced staffing, leading to a significant increase in demand for limb rehabilitation robots.

Rehabilitation robot research and development in my country started early, with many domestic companies achieving prototype and industrialized deployment. Compared with imported rehabilitation robots, domestically produced Chinese robots offer advantages such as high cost-effectiveness. Given the low per capita disposable income of families with disabled members, cost-effective rehabilitation robots are more suitable for market demand and will capture a significant market share in the future.

In April of this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and three other ministries jointly issued the "Robotics Industry Development Plan (2016-2020)," proposing that my country's annual industrial robot production reach 100,000 units by 2020. This includes over 50,000 six-axis and above robots, with a robot density exceeding 150 units. Service robots will generate annual sales revenue exceeding 30 billion yuan, with small-batch production and application in areas such as elderly and disability assistance, medical rehabilitation, and the development of at least three leading enterprises and the creation of at least five supporting robotics industry clusters. Driven by a series of policy support and rising market demand, my country's robotics industry is poised for rapid development.