Where Robots Work Today

Robots are no longer confined to car factories. Some are so ordinary that people don't think of them as robots at all, while others are emerging in hospitals, warehouses and city streets. Here's where robots are actually working today.

At home

Robot vacuums are the most common household robot. iRobot launched the first Roomba in 2002, and today's models map rooms with cameras or laser sensors, avoid cables and pet mess, and in some cases empty their own bins and mop floors. They work best on uncluttered floors and still need occasional cleaning of brushes and sensors.

Robot lawn mowers have been popular in Europe for years and are spreading elsewhere. Older models need a boundary wire buried around the lawn; newer ones use GPS and cameras instead. They cut little and often, which leaves fine clippings that fertilize the lawn.

Pool cleaners and window cleaners are other common examples. Humanoid robots that do general housework are being developed by several companies, but they're not yet practical or affordable for most homes.

In warehouses

Warehouses are one of the biggest uses of robots. Amazon bought the robotics company Kiva Systems in 2012 and has since deployed hundreds of thousands of mobile robots that carry shelves of goods to human pickers, rather than having people walk the aisles. Other warehouses use robotic arms that pick items, sorting systems that route parcels, and autonomous forklifts. Most systems still pair robots with people, since handling the endless variety of products is difficult for machines.

In hospitals

Surgical robots are the best-known medical example. The da Vinci system, cleared by the FDA in 2000, lets surgeons operate through small incisions using robotic arms they control from a console. It's widely used for prostate, gynecological and some abdominal surgery. The robot doesn't operate on its own; it translates and steadies the surgeon's movements. Research comparing robotic and conventional keyhole surgery has found benefits for some procedures but not others, and robotic surgery is often more expensive.

Delivery robots carry medications, linens and lab samples through hospital corridors and elevators, freeing nurses and porters for other work. Rehabilitation robots and exoskeletons help patients relearn walking after strokes or spinal injuries.

In care settings

Paro, a robotic baby seal developed in Japan, responds to touch and voice and has been used in nursing homes, particularly with people with dementia. Some studies suggest it can reduce agitation and loneliness, though researchers caution that robots shouldn't replace human contact. Japan, with a rapidly aging population, has been among the most active in testing care robots.

On the roads

Self-driving taxis now carry paying passengers in some cities. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, operates fully driverless rides in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and a growing list of other US cities. Small sidewalk robots deliver food and groceries on some university campuses and in a few urban areas. Driverless trucks are being tested on highways in Texas and elsewhere.

In farming and food service

Milking robots, weeding robots and robotic fruit pickers are covered in many farm technology reports. In restaurants, robots that flip burgers, make coffee or deliver plates to tables have appeared, though many such ventures have struggled to prove they're cheaper than staff.

In space and dangerous places

Robots go where people can't easily or safely go. NASA's rovers, from Sojourner in 1997 to Curiosity and Perseverance, have explored Mars for decades. On Earth, remotely operated robots inspect nuclear facilities, defuse bombs, survey disaster zones and examine the hulls of ships and the insides of pipelines. After the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, specially built robots were sent into damaged reactors to locate melted fuel, work that would have been far too dangerous for people.

Buying a home robot: what to check

• Your floor plan: thresholds, rugs and stairs affect how well a vacuum works.
• Navigation type: models with laser (LiDAR) or camera mapping clean more systematically than bump-and-turn designs.
• Privacy: camera-based robots capture images of your home; check where they're stored and whether you can turn off cloud features.
• Ongoing costs: brushes, filters and bags need regular replacing.
• App support: robots rely on the maker's app, so a company's long-term stability matters.

What's holding robots back

• Unpredictable environments: robots excel at repetitive tasks in controlled spaces but struggle with clutter, varied objects and people moving around.
• Dexterity: human hands remain far better at handling soft, irregular or fragile items.
• Cost: many robots only make financial sense at large scale.
• Safety and trust: robots working near people need strict safety design and public acceptance.

Robots and jobs

Robots tend to change jobs more than eliminate them outright, taking over specific tasks such as carrying goods or repetitive assembly. Economists studying industrial robots have found they can reduce employment and wages in heavily affected areas, while creating demand for technicians and other roles. The overall effect depends on the industry and how quickly workers can retrain.