Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to unveil the company's prototype humanoid robots (robots that resemble humans in structure) at an event on September 30, in which he hopes to expand beyond Self-driving cars, which have not yet become a reality despite Musk's repeated promises.
While robots are widely used for specialized factory tasks, other companies have tried to produce commercially viable human-like robots, despite decades of development efforts.
"This market is very challenging, because you buy this huge robot that is very expensive, but it really can't do much," Arizona State University robotics professor Hein Ben-Amun said in a Reuters report.
Tesla
Tesla's robots, called Optimus, will initially be used in manufacturing and logistics for boring and repetitive work, thus tackling labor shortages.
Musk said that in the long term he plans to use the robot in homes, so that it can become a "companion" or as a pet.
Spot mini - boston dynamics
Hyundai and Boston Dynamics will invest more than $400 million in artificial intelligence and robotics (networking sites)
will be
Japan's Asimo robot was the face of the Japanese automaker, but it has yet to be commercialized after more than two decades of development. Honda is now focusing on disaster relief robots and avatars - human-controlled robots - to perform tasks such as remote surgery.
Honda aims to show the robot "Avatar" in early 2024 and deploy the machines in the 2030s.
General Motors and NASA
From 2007 to 2012, General Motors (GM) and NASA collaborated to develop humanoid robots for assembly and space exploration.
It's no longer in development, NASA said, declaring its current focus is developing the next generation of human-like robots that could be used on the Moon and possibly Mars.
Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics has created a stir online with videos of its humanoid robots running, jumping and dancing. But the losing American company changed its owners several times, as it was affiliated with "Alphabet" and then "Soft Bank", and then "Hyundai Motors" became the company that owns it.
Hyundai and Boston Dynamics said last August that they would initially invest more than $400 million in a "first research institution" on artificial intelligence and robotics.
Ford robots
In 2020, FORD bought two humanoid robots, from Agility Robotics, to test delivery of a package to a customer's door from a delivery van.
Oregon-based startup Agility Robotics is also working on deploying humanoid robots that can pick up goods and move them into warehouses.
Softbank and others
SOFTBANK's wide-eyed Pepper robot, which helped polish CEO Masayoshi Son's image as a forward-looking tech entrepreneur, has been discontinued.
Many robotics startups, such as Rethink Robotics, have also stopped, failing to market their products.
Tags:
technology