Humanoid Robots Are Meta's Next 'AR-Sized Bet' (theverge.com) 38
Meta is making humanoid robots its next massive "AR-sized bet," investing billions into a project led by top roboticists. The focus will be less on hardware and more on software dexterity, aiming to license its robotics platform to manufacturers much like Google licenses Android. The Verge reports: During a recent conversation at Meta's headquarters, CTO Andrew Bosworth said he stood up a robotics "research effort" earlier this year at the direction of CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The team's existence has been reported on before, but Bosworth hadn't discussed its strategy in-depth until our interview. "I don't think the hardware is the hard part," he told me ahead of Meta's recent Connect conference. "I'm not saying the hardware isn't also hard, but it's not the bottleneck. The bottleneck is the software."
To demonstrate, Bosworth picked up my glass of water from a table between us. "If you know robotics, one of the biggest problems that you have is dexterous manipulation," he said. "These robots, they can stand, they can run, they can do a flip, because the ground is a super stable thing." By contrast, a robot trying to pick up the glass of water would likely "immediately crush it or spill all the water." While Meta is currently building its own humanoid, or "Metabot" as it's called internally, Bosworth envisions the company licensing its software platform to other robot manufacturers. "I don't care about us being the hardware manufacturers," he explained.
To demonstrate, Bosworth picked up my glass of water from a table between us. "If you know robotics, one of the biggest problems that you have is dexterous manipulation," he said. "These robots, they can stand, they can run, they can do a flip, because the ground is a super stable thing." By contrast, a robot trying to pick up the glass of water would likely "immediately crush it or spill all the water." While Meta is currently building its own humanoid, or "Metabot" as it's called internally, Bosworth envisions the company licensing its software platform to other robot manufacturers. "I don't care about us being the hardware manufacturers," he explained.
If "Meta" is spending money on this... (Score:3)
Then it is time to short Fastolfe and Sarton to zero, I guess.
Re: (Score:3)
Can't tell if that was a substantive FP. I had to websearch to find out that they are Asimov's characters from one of his robot novels. I don't remember the details, though I think that series was more about personality than robots. Still miss Isaac... So productive and so many topics.
On the Meta side, I can't even guess if you agree with me that it's a dangerous corporate cancer. I was actually looking to see if Slashdot had anything about the new subscription business model. It could actually be a good th
Re: (Score:2)
it's a dangerous corporate cancer
That was never a question.
I dunno ... (Score:1)
... spilled water or not, if the humanoid robot doesn't actively commit crimes and if it pays the slightest attention to what you say, then it would probably improve the work force at, say, fast food restaurants.
We could give the humanoid robots lots of tattoos, so that people wouldn't be too uncomfortable with the change?
Re: (Score:1)
The billionaires at the top of the fast food chain keep all of the money and hold everyone else back. But blame the employees that *need* to steal to live. The system isn't broken, its just full of 'bad' people, right?
A multiverse sized bet (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It's not *that* bad a bet. There are probably places where a humanoid robot only slightly better than today's existing models would be useful. The real question is "How many of them?", and that clearly depends on both how much they cost and how easy they are to use/target/apply.
Probably same success as the Metaverse (Score:4, Insightful)
They have nothing besides the initial idea and that only worked because of an unfortunate historical accident of timing. No ideas, no vision, no insights and a CEO desperate to prove he can actually get something right, when he clearly cannot.
Id is a fundamental defect of capitalism (as currently implemented) that people like that even can get rich.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed. That is the fundamental other defect. Capitalism works only if it is a) regulated and b) very much merit-based. Both things are not the case anymore for most of what we have today.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It's already too late to catch up anyway.
Re: Probably same success as the Metaverse (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Money does nothing if you do not know how to use it. Meta has demonstrated time and again that they do are in that group.
Re: Probably same success as the Metaverse (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You mean the stuff nobody cares about?
Re: Probably same success as the Metaverse (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Essentially nobody cares about your "gamechanger".
Already robots that won't spill glass of water... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed. Expecting robot manufacturers to buy their software is silly.
Robots are designed with SW and HW closely coupled. No one is gonna design dexterous robot hands that can crack eggs and change diapers, and then, at the very end, go looking for software to make it work. That's absurd.
Open Source hardware and software (Score:1)
Almost.
What could possibly go wrong? (Score:5, Informative)
Meta don't police their own forums from scams, including in paid ads.
They are notorious for spying on people, on Facebook and through people's smartphones, matching faces in uploaded images, and using content to feed "AI".
Their motto is "Move fast and break things".
Why the hell should I trust a robot that Meta has programmed?
What if they got hacked, and used for nefarious things?
I think those things should be shot on sight.
Re: (Score:2)
But would you fear a Zuckbot turning MechaHitler and murdering you in you sleep?
Re: (Score:2)
The big question on everybody's mind (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
"By contrast, a robot trying to pick up the glass of water would likely "immediately crush it or spill all the water."
So not ready for handies...
Your own Atlas in your house!! (Score:2)
Jumping with a back flip from the second floor window to fetch your newspaper every day.
Reserving that seat on the morning bus for you.
Wonder if he would also be so kind to talk out Spot for a walk.
I'm all in!
Does that mean ⦠? (Score:2)
An AR-sized bet? Does that mean this robot will be semi automatic?
Nagbot (Score:2)
For $4 Aunt Gertrude can have it ask you why you don't call her anymore.
Re: (Score:2)
Consumer robots are stupid (Score:3)
We need robots for hospitals, elderly care, and businesses --- not for regular household use. Seriously there should be a ban on robots that do basic household tasks like laundry, taking out the trash, cooking, and fetching stuff from the fridge. Why? Because it will turn us into a bunch of lazy fat fucks that's why.
Re: (Score:2)
We need robots for hospitals, elderly care, and businesses --- not for regular household use. Seriously there should be a ban on robots that do basic household tasks like laundry, taking out the trash, cooking, and fetching stuff from the fridge. Why? Because it will turn us into a bunch of lazy fat fucks that's why.
That horse has already long since left the barn.
Re: (Score:2)
... except for people with injuries and disabilities. Or for specialized (gutter cleaning) or dangerous (tree trimming) tasks.
Are you also against cars?
battery is the problem, not software or hardware (Score:2)
Living humans have the best fuel mechanism: a distributed battery that increases in capacity when provided with more fuel AND stores an immense amount of energy. Fat has over 9,000 Watt hours per kilogram. The best lithium ion batteries caries 243 Watt hours per kilogram.
Human bodies could be described generalized machines with inherent maintenance and repair built in, not to mention rapid enhacement capabilities (work out = more muscle), alarms (pain) designed to inform when recommended limits are being
So The Cage Match WIll Be Between Their Robots? (Score:2)
Instead of Musk and Zuckerberg in an Octagon proving something... not clear what exactly... it can be their humanoid bots! Based on current evidence expect the action to be rather... slow.
Re: (Score:2)