Looking at the forces that affect a robotic arm is not so different from determining the forces in a truss or a spinning disk. The sum of forces in the x and y axis will be zero for a arm at rest. In the home the robotic arm has not made much progress; but there is potential for a cooking assistant or homework helper. The only limitation to the technology is the innovation driving robots into the home.

I would say that our modern world would not be possible without the humble robotic arm. They can be found in the factories that build your cars. They work quietly on the production floors of your cell phones. One day if ill fate should fall upon you than you might find a robot surgeon carefully saving your life. Robotic automation is essential to an advanced civilization. In the years to come I hope to see more robots within society.