Robotics companies building humanoid and household robots need large amounts of video showing human hands doing physical tasks, and that footage can't be scraped from the internet. So a new gig has appeared: you strap a phone to your head or chest and film yourself folding laundry, washing dishes, cooking or tidying up, and a data company pays you for each approved clip.
This is sometimes called egocentric data collection, meaning video recorded from the point of view of the person doing the task. It went from niche to mainstream in 2026: MIT Technology Review reported that Micro1 alone has hired thousands of contract recorders in more than 50 countries, DoorDash launched a standalone Tasks app that pays couriers for this kind of footage, and NPR found thousands of people in India doing it daily.
Analyst view
It's honest work with low barriers, but treat it like Prolific rather than a job: the rate per hour can be decent, the number of hours you get is not up to you. The bigger decision is privacy, not money.
Is this right for you?
Good fit: you already spend time on chores, you have a recent smartphone, you can follow fussy instructions patiently (slow movements, hands always visible), and you're comfortable with strangers' reviewers and AI systems seeing the inside of your home.
Poor fit: you need steady, predictable income; you live with people (especially children) who'd end up on camera; or you rent a place where filming inside could break your lease or house rules. If you hate repetition, this will get old fast: one recorder told MIT Technology Review that ironing for hours every day is boring.
Who's paying, and what they ask for
| Program | Who can join | What you film | Reported pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro1 | "Open to everyone, globally," after an interview with its AI recruiter and a sample video review | Cooking, laundry, organizing, using tools, packing and sorting | $15/hour for a recorder in Nigeria (MIT Technology Review) |
| DoorDash Tasks app | DoorDash couriers in select US areas; at launch not California, New York City, Seattle or Colorado (TechCrunch) | Household chores, handiwork, cooking (mostly eggs), walking routes, and conversations in other languages | $15/hour on the chore tasks WIRED tried; up to $25/hour per the Washington Post |
| Other collectors (Scale AI, Encord, Objectways and smaller firms) | Varies; often recruited through LinkedIn, YouTube and referrals | Similar first-person chores | $3–$10/hour reported by an Indonesian recorder working for three companies (ABC News) |
Two things matter more than the headline rate:
- You're paid for approved footage, not time spent. Micro1 says contributors "are paid for approved work," and its videos are reviewed by AI and a human before being accepted or rejected (MIT Technology Review).
- Each clip is small. WIRED's reporter filmed loading a washing machine at a $15/hour rate; the app estimated $0.37 for the roughly 90-second video, and the egg-cooking task capped at $5 no matter how long it took (WIRED).
The money: month 1, 3, 6 and 12
Assumption (typical): 2–6 approved hours/week when tasks are open
Rate: ~$5–$15/hour depending on program and country
Weekly: 2–6 h × $5–$15 ≈ $10–$90
Minus weeks with no tasks / rejections ≈ roughly halve it
Monthly typical ≈ $50–$300
| Month | What's happening | Typical monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Onboarding, test videos, learning what gets rejected | $20–$150 |
| 3 | Comfortable with the rules; supply varies by project | $50–$250 |
| 6 | Steady if your programs keep buying | $50–$300 |
| 12 | Doesn't really grow; it's capped by hours and task supply | $50–$300 |
These are our estimates, not reported averages. For a real-world benchmark, NPR profiled a recorder in India who films two to three hours a day and earns about $120 a month. In lower-cost countries that's meaningful income; in the US it's pocket money.
Step by step
- Pick one program you're eligible for. Outside the US, start with Micro1's everyday tasks page. If you already deliver for DoorDash in a supported area, look for the Tasks app.
- Do the screening honestly. Micro1 uses an AI interviewer and reviews sample chore videos before you're accepted. DoorDash's onboarding task in WIRED's test was filming yourself moving three objects across a table.
- Get a mount. Most tasks need both hands free. DoorDash shipped WIRED's reporter a free body mount after onboarding; otherwise a basic head or chest phone mount is cheap.
- Set up your space before you record. Good light, a clear counter or bed, and nothing personal in frame: mail, screens, photos, documents, other people.
- Read each task's rules and follow them literally. Move slowly, keep both hands in frame, don't stop the recording mid-task, and hold the final state steady when asked.
- Submit, then study your rejections. Every rejection reason is free training. Fix that one thing on the next clip.
- Track your effective hourly rate. Divide what you were actually paid by all the time you spent, including setup and failed takes.
What gets clips rejected
- Hands out of frame. WIRED's phone beeped whenever a piece of laundry covered the reporter's fingers.
- Moving too fast. Programs ask for natural, slow movements so motion can be tracked.
- Breaking the content rules. DoorDash bans filming minors, personal data or anything illegal, requires consent before filming anyone else, and lists prohibited locations such as hospitals, schools, prisons, airports and military bases.
- Faces and identifiers. Micro1 asks workers not to show their faces or reveal names, phone numbers or birth dates.
The privacy trade-off
Even without faces, these videos capture "an intimate slice of workers' lives: the interiors of their homes, their possessions, their routines," as MIT Technology Review put it. None of the workers it interviewed knew exactly how their footage would be stored or which robotics companies it would be shared with, and Micro1 doesn't name its clients. Before you join:
- Read the contributor agreement for who owns the footage, whether it can be resold, and whether you can ask for deletion.
- Film in one neutral room you can keep clear of personal items.
- Don't record anyone who hasn't agreed, and never record children.
How it compares
| Option | Skill needed | Typical pay | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chore videos for robots | None | $3–$25/hour reported | Task supply, privacy |
| Prolific studies | None | $8/hour minimum, $12 recommended | Study supply |
| AI data annotation | Good writing, qualification tests | Varies by project | Passing tests, project churn |
| AI training contracts for licensed professionals | A J.D., MD, PhD or similar | $55–$150+/hour listed on Mercor | Credentials |
| Licensing footage you already own | An archive of your own video | $0.75–$3 per licensed minute reported | Only pays when a deal happens |
Common mistakes
- Counting the hourly rate, not the clip pay. A $15/hour task that takes 90 seconds pays well under a dollar.
- Recording before reading the rules. One rule miss can void a long clip.
- Ignoring the people you live with. Their consent matters, and their faces or voices can get your clip rejected.
- Paying for "access." Real programs don't charge you to join. Anyone asking for a fee to unlock robot-training work is a scam.
Effort, time and investment
- Investment: $0, plus a phone mount if one isn't provided.
- Time: short sessions; 2–3 hours a day is what NPR's recorder does.
- Skills: patience, steady movements, following instructions exactly.
FAQ
Can you really get paid to film yourself doing chores?
Yes. Companies such as Micro1 and DoorDash pay people to record first-person video of chores like laundry, dishes and cooking, which robotics companies use to train household robots. You're paid only for approved footage.
How much does robot training video work pay?
Reported rates range from about $3 to $15 an hour (MIT Technology Review, ABC News), $15 an hour on chore tasks in DoorDash's Tasks app (WIRED), and up to $25 an hour per the Washington Post. Individual clips often pay cents to a few dollars.
Who can join Micro1's everyday tasks program?
Micro1 says the program is open to everyone, globally. Applicants go through an AI interview and a review of sample chore videos.
Is DoorDash Tasks available everywhere?
No. At launch it was offered to Dashers in select US areas, excluding California, New York City, Seattle and Colorado, according to TechCrunch.
Is it safe to film inside your home for AI training?
It's legitimate work, but you're sharing views of your home, belongings and routines with a data company and its clients. Keep personal items and other people out of frame, and read the contributor agreement on ownership and deletion before you start.
Key takeaways
- A real 2026 gig: film chores from your point of view, get paid for approved clips.
- Reported pay is $3–$25 an hour, but clips are short and supply is not guaranteed.
- No skills or money needed; strict filming rules decide whether you're paid.
- The real cost is privacy, so set up a neutral space and read the terms first.