Tesla’s humanoid robot program, Optimus, is gaining momentum as the company ramps up its hiring efforts. The announcement of this ambitious project may have been light-hearted, with Elon Musk introducing it through a stage performance, but Tesla is dead serious about its potential.
The recent demonstration of Tesla Optimus prototypes showcased their impressive capabilities, lending greater credibility to the project. These humanoid robots are being trained using a neural net-based strategy similar to Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system. Inside Tesla’s basement lies a collection of these prototypes, where the company is diligently working to teach them various tasks.
Electrek has been closely monitoring job postings related to Optimus and has discovered an accelerated pace of recruitment by Tesla. While earlier postings were primarily focused on robotics and building bipedal robots, the new positions aim to explore how the robots can be made useful in practical applications.
One such job description is for a “Reinforcement Learning Engineer, Tesla Bot,” where the responsibilities include developing a robot learning system capable of leveraging AI for complex physical tasks. This encompasses activities such as full body locomotion, precise manipulation, and more. The engineers in these roles will be involved in the complete process of robotic learning, from inception to deployment, with their work eventually benefiting thousands of humanoid robots in real-world scenarios.
In addition to this, Tesla is also searching for “Software Engineer, Robot Software Engineering” candidates who will play a role in managing Tesla Bot on the factory floor. The team responsible for Robot Software Engineering will design, build, and integrate various types of mobile robots and vehicles, enabling seamless movement within and between Tesla facilities worldwide.
Tesla has posted several other job openings related to the Optimus program, highlighting the company’s commitment to building a team of skilled professionals for this transformative venture.
While there is no official timeline for the availability of the Optimus robot, Tesla has acknowledged its priority status. The company plans to incorporate the robot into its own operations soon, using it to demonstrate its usability before a commercial launch.
FAQ:
Q: What is Tesla’s humanoid robot program called?
A: Tesla’s humanoid robot program is called “Optimus.”
Q: What is the strategy behind teaching the Tesla robots?
A: The Tesla robots are being trained using a neural net-based strategy similar to Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system.
Q: What are some tasks that the reinforcement learning engineers will work on?
A: The reinforcement learning engineers will focus on developing a general robot learning system capable of performing complex physical tasks such as full body locomotion and precise manipulation.
Q: What is the role of the Robot Software Engineering team?
A: The Robot Software Engineering team is responsible for designing, building, and integrating various types of mobile robots and vehicles to facilitate movement within and between Tesla facilities, potentially including the use of Tesla Bot on the factory floor.
Q: What is Tesla’s plan for utilizing the Optimus robot?
A: Tesla plans to incorporate the Optimus robot into its own operations to demonstrate its usability before a commercial launch.