"The advancement of artificial intelligence technologies is making household robots smarter. They are no longer just eye-catching toys, but something that can really make life better and more efficient," Luo said.

One of the biggest breakthroughs is reflected in computer vision technology, which can help robots to better map out cleaning routes. The wider application of that technology also lowers production costs, luring more consumers to buy, he added.

This rising trend is not lost on senior executives. Domestic enterprises are scrambling to grasp the opportunity.

Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi Corp, for instance, has launched a string of smart vacuum cleaners. Priced from 1,300 to 2,500 yuan, the machines are equipped with multiple sensors and a central processing unit.

Instead of bouncing around the room and haphazardly picking up debris, Xiaomi said the robots measure the size of the room and map the best route to take.

"Robots can make doing housework interesting and cool," said Liu De, co-founder of Xiaomi.

Chinese home appliance firms, such as Haier Group and TCL Corp, are also exploring the niche market with similar products, causing the market to become increasingly crowded.

How to stand out amid the fierce competition has become a key question.