A bibliometric survey on impact of Blockchain in Robotics: Trends and Applications

Integrating blockchain technology within robotic systems holds great potential for substantial breakthroughs, not only in industrial environments but in several avenues such as agriculture, healthcare, supply chain, and so on, which require increased levels of autonomy and security. This bibliometric survey comprehensively examines the evolution and interplay between blockchain technology and robotics. Addressing the inception of this domain, the study analyses research trends, publication shifts, influential academic articles, authors, countries, and so on. The influence of emerging themes, such as Industry 4.0, Artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, are also explored, elucidating their impact on the research trajectory. Utilizing bibliometric techniques, the review offers insights into the current state of blockchain applications in robotic systems and suggests potential future directions warranting in-depth exploration. For a holistic overview covering both literature and technological advancements, we also present patent landscaping on blockchain in robotics, bridging the gap between theoretical results and real-world applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to present the bibliometric approach of reviewing the literature and patents for blockchain in robotics, precisely via bibliometric techniques such as keyword co-occurrence network, co-citation network, thematic evolution, and Sankey graph.