The Robotics industry needs to take a clue from the PC industry.
If you want home robotics to take off, you have to develop an inexpensive general model with open architecture that is easily modified with attachments and that is easily programmed. And they have to come up with two or three home applications.
One you have that, hobbyists will begin buying them and developing addtional applications, additional attachments, and refining the programming. That will drive the cost down even as it drives the utility up.
Germans used a robot tank in WWII, called Goliath. Small, mobile, packed with explosives. Radio controlled.