Tesla is taking an innovative approach to training its humanoid robot, Optimus, by hiring workers to wear motion capture suits and mimic tasks the robot will eventually perform. This information comes from The Verge e Interesting Engineering

The Job: Data Collection Operator

Tesla’s career site lists a position for “Data Collection Operator” with a salary of up to $48 per hour. The job requires:

Walking for over 7 hours daily
Carrying up to 30 pounds
Wearing a VR headset for extended periods
Height between 5’7″ and 5’11”

Business Insider reports that Tesla has hired over 50 workers for this role in the past year.

The Goal: Massive Data Collection

Animesh Garg, a senior researcher at Nvidia Research, told Business Insider: “The amount of data collection you’d need would easily be half a billion dollars and the real question is ‘Even if you do that, do you succeed?’ Because there is no guarantee of success.”

This extensive data collection is crucial for training Optimus to perform human-like movements and tasks. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has ambitiously claimed that “genuinely useful” bots will be in production next year, though he admits this timeline is speculative.

Comparison to Competitors

While motion capture is a common method for training robots, Tesla’s scale of implementation is unprecedented. However, Optimus doesn’t appear to be significantly ahead of competitors like Boston Dynamics, Figuree Apptronik, which are also being tested by other automakers.

Jonathan Aitken, a robotics expert from the University of Sheffield, notes: “In the manufacturing world, we typically have a robot that can do one task really really well, but it doesn’t usually extend beyond that.”

EVXL’s Take

Tesla’s ambitious approach to training Optimus reflects the company’s broader strategy of pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle and automation technology. While the success of Optimus remains uncertain, Tesla’s investment in this area could potentially revolutionize manufacturing processes for EVs and beyond. This aligns with Tesla’s history of innovation in the EV space, as seen in recent developments covered in our Tesla news category. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, the intersection of robotics and EV manufacturing will be a crucial area to watch.

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