Xiaomi has hired a former engineer from Tesla’s Optimus team, Zach Lu Zeyu, to join the Chinese tech giant’s robotics initiatives, as the talent grab in the industry intensifies.
Lu, previously a senior robotics engineer focused on the Optimus humanoid robot, joined Xiaomi last month to lead the Beijing-based firm’s dexterous hand research and development operations, according to his LinkedIn page.
During his two years at Tesla, Lu worked on the design for dexterous grasping and manipulation, as well as tactile sensing.
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International robotics research has been sharpening its focus on dexterous hands – a system designed to mimic humanlike hand and finger movements with a high degree of flexibility, precision and skill.
Lu’s recruitment reflected Xiaomi’s resolve to build a strong team in robotics and embodied artificial intelligence, following its foray into electric vehicles after developing a major global smartphone business.
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Xiaomi’s robotics ambition has also heightened the worldwide hunt for robotics talent. On its recruitment site, Xiaomi recently posted a dozen job openings for engineers and designers in its dexterous hand project, as well as more than 200 other robotics-related roles.
