The Survey on e-Commerce and ICT 2022 included new questions regarding the use of robots. An industrial robot is an automatic, programmable manipulator that is used to complete a task. This does not include devices that are directly controlled by an operator (e.g. 3D printers).
Service robots are devices that use wheels or legs to operate with a degree of independence in complex and dynamic environments. These robots may interact with people, objects, or other devices and are frequently used for inspection, transport, or maintenance (e.g. self-guided vehicles).
One in five (20%) large enterprises reported using some type of robot (either industrial or service) compared with 8% of medium enterprises and 2% of small enterprises.
Of enterprises that used robots, the most common reasons for their use were to ensure high precision of goods and services produced (71%), to enhance workplace safety (58%), to expand range of goods and services (33%), because of high labour costs (31%), personnel recruitment difficulties (18%), and tax incentives (12%).
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