On August 20, 2021, Elon Musk announced that he would launch his version of a humanoid robot.

Speaking at the company’s AI day, Musk revealed the household robot that Tesla is planning to create. Household robots assist humans by performing basic activities or tasks. Tesla’s robot stands at 5ft 8in, weighing 125 pounds. It will be able to move at 5 mph and deadlift a maximum weight of 150 pounds. Tesla’s chief executive envisages a robot eliminating ‘dangerous, repetitive and boring tasks’.

Musk views his company as ‘arguably the biggest robotics company’ due to its work with their cars. He describes the cars as ‘semi-sentient robots on wheels’. Now, Tesla is looking to harness the same technology used in its self-driving cars and apply it to a humanoid robot:

[We want to] ‘develop the next generation of automation, including a general purpose, bi-pedal, humanoid robot capable of performing tasks that are unsafe, repetitive or boring. We’re seeking mechanical, electrical, controls and software engineers to help us leverage our AI expertise beyond our vehicle fleet.’

Musk jokingly mentioned that the robot will be ‘friendly’. More importantly, the robot will be able to ‘navigate through a world built for humans’. The challenge is to create a robot that can function effectively in the human world.

Tesla is developing a robot that can cope without being explicitly trained. In short, someone can talk to the robot and provide instructions that it will then follow. The example Musk used was asking the robot to pick up a bolt and attach it to a car with a specific wrench. According to Musk, the Tesla Bot will be able to complete such tasks and more.

The prospect of the Tesla Bot opens up an exciting world of possibilities for AI at home. However, Musk provided no concrete release date for the robot. The CEO said it will likely be sometime next year.

Musk also did not reveal how much progress the company had made on the Tesla Bot thus far. At previous launches of Tesla products, Musk appeared with prototypes of their new products.

Other options

Tesla is the latest company to begin production on a household robot. The Tesla Bot will enter a rapidly growing market that is only poised to get bigger. Market Research Future (MRFR) found that the household robot market will reach $8.5 billion by 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.5%.

Among the most popular household robots is the Roomba vacuum created by iRobot Corporation, an American technology company. The top of the range s Series cleans up messes and responds to voice commands. It learns cleaning habits and makes personalised suggestions.

The options for household robots are not limited to the Roomba. The list is growing for consumers. According to Whipsaw CEO and Principal Designer, Dan Harden, the principal goal is a multi-purpose bionic ‘butler’. Such a creation would fulfil a plethora of needs around the house.

However, the challenge is to create a machine that can adapt to a changing environment. The hardware and software need to be operating in perfect harmony. The margin for error is small.

There is some hope that robotics technology is coming to a stage where robots can successfully navigate a changing environment. One example is Spot, the robot police dog, developed by Boston Dynamics. Spot was most recently spotted patrolling the streets in Hawaii to help the homeless at the government-run tent city.

Another example of a robotic dog is KODA, developed by Whipsaw. KODA can help the visually impaired and serve as a tech learning platform for individuals, schools, and robotic research institutions. KODA is also connected to a blockchain network. According to its developers, this gives KODA a distinct advantage:

‘Each KODA is connected to a blockchain network that is used to share and optimize data among the pack, so every KODA robot gets smarter over time. KODA’s A.I. brain responds to its master’s voice commands and emotional state, whether sad, happy or excited.’

The promise of the Tesla Bot marks the arrival of a household name into the industry. Ambitions are high amongst roboticists. Rather than being satisfied with simple household aids, industry leaders want to create robots that adapt to the world around them. It is an exciting prospect, but one that the world will have to wait to see.

About the Author: James Hingley

James Hingley is a contributing Features Writer with extensive expertise in International Relations, Politics and Culture.