Elon Musk’s humanoid robot set for 2022 launch
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to unveil the company’s prototype of humanoid robots (robots that resemble humans in structure) at an event to be held on September 30, in which he hopes to expand beyond cars.
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 attempted 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’s robots, called Optimus, will initially be used in manufacturing and logistics for boring and repetitive work, thus tackling labor shortages. In the long term, Musk said, he plans to use the robot in homes, as a “companion” or as a pet.
Many robotics startups, have also stopped, failing to market their products.
