Shift Sends Private Chefs to Film 3-Course Meals for Robot Training Data
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Jul 30
Shift Sends Private Chefs to Film 3-Course Meals for Robot Training Data
2 articles · Updated · WIRED · Jul 30
Summary
Shift is offering free in-home 3-course meals while private chefs wear hat-mounted cameras that record hand movements and kitchen tasks for robot-training data.
The company says first-person, or egocentric, video is scarce but valuable for teaching humanoid robots how to cook, clean and navigate real homes.
Shift, a division of German startup Microagi, earlier used the same model for free cleaning in New York and has expanded the meal program in San Francisco.
Microagi CEO Bercan Kilic said the service could grow into a marketplace where contractors sell recorded task data, with more discounted or free services planned.
The push reflects a broader race to gather real-world household data for home robots, even as questions remain about safety, affordability and who benefits from the technology.