Eye (on the) Robot

 

"Starting in July, it will either be I Robot (like the movie), or eye (on the) robot, as Optimus comes off the assembly line one after another. Wondering about the future? It is now here. Get ready to start seeing robots all over the place. As soon as I find out they can either make an omelette or clean toilets, I am buying one for the house!"  

Earlier this year, Tesla finished stripping down and repurposing two Tesla automobile assembly lines. In other words, the models of Tesla cars made on these lines will no longer be made. Instead, starting in July of this year, full production will start of the Optimus, Generation III robot. No more talking about it - no more second guessing - it will happen. This will be the "launch" year, and in 2027, it will be full out production, all year long.

Tesla and Elon have been betting the farm on many things as of late, and Optimus is only one of them. His goal always has been to make a humanoid robot with state-of-the-art mobility and dexterity, yet affordable. He wants them ready to go for companies who want cheap and reliable labor, as well as households who would like somebody (or something) who could help with inside and outside chores.

How much does Elon think robots will find a niche in America as well as other places in the world? Enough so that this year, he is planning on building 10,000 of them by the end of the year. But next year - hold on to your hats. Elon is planning on making 10,000,000 Optimus Gen III robots! And by the way, Telsa will not be the only company joining the fray next year. Boston Dynamics as well as some other American companies will be in the chase. Oh - and don't forget China. They are also in the hunt.

My question when I heard the 10,000,000 number for Optimus units in 2027, was simply this - is there enough demand? Or will there soon be a fire sale on robots as so many are stacked up in inventory. Actually, knowing how much technology has been incorporated into these robots, I am amazed you can buy one for under $50,000. They have batteries which will go for 12 hours, tons of AI, and hands which almost mimic the dexterity of human hands.

I think I might have told this story before. While at FMC, I worked in the technology group for a while. One project I was on was to build a robotic hand which imitated human dexterity. FMC was teamed up with General Atomics, a company in Utah and Stanford. The complexity of this hand which was under development was awe inspiring. That was back in the early 1990's. The fact we are now building the entire robot, is not surprising at all to me. 

Starting in July, it will either be I Robot (like the movie), or "eye (on the) robot", as Optimus comes off the assembly line one after another. Wondering about the future? It is now here. Get ready to start seeing robots all over the place. As soon as I find out they can either make an omelette or clean toilets, I am buying one for the house!