A third of the UK believes that the purpose of the mobile phone is to allow them to be accessed 24/7, according to research commissioned by battery firm Energizer.

The research seems to suggest that the UK is a society hooked on its portable electronic devices.

Nearly one in five respondents said that they are out all day and need devices to keep in touch with loved ones and work, and 16 per cent admitted they could not cut it socially if they did not have their phone.

And it is not just the younger generation that is glued to their gadgets; a third of over 55s have adopted the always-live mentality, according to the report.

As well making calls, sending texts and listening to music, half of us snap photos while travelling, one in five send emails and 15 per cent surf the web as they make journeys.

Devices have become so much a part of every day life that three quarters of motorists won't go anywhere without sat-nav equipment, and would not necessarily get to their destination without it.

More than half of respondents must have their MP3 players wherever they go, and 43 per cent cannot imagine going anywhere without their digital camera. Almost one in five would not leave home without their PDA.

"Our research shows that Britain is 'always on'," said a spokesman for Energizer.

"No matter where we go we just can't leave home without our mobiles, cameras, PDAs, MP3s and games players. We are so used to having gadgets at our side that we accept that we are contactable 24/7."

When it comes to the future, the technological leap we'd most like to see is a robot that can clean our house, followed by one that monitors our home security while keeping us informed.