Tesla unveils prototype of a robot that walks and waved
A prototype of the Tesla bot, called Optimus, was unveiled at AI Day 2022 by Tesla, Inc.
What Happened: The prototype walked and waved at the audience, with Musk stating that it would be available to the public in three to five years. He suggested that Tesla aims for volume production, and this will likely drive the bot's cost to less than $20,000.
Tesla showed a video of Optimus doing simple tasks such as watering plants, carrying boxes, and lifting metal bars at the Fremont factory. A more streamlined version, which is likely to move into production, could not walk and had to be rolled out on a platform. Musk said that it should be able to walk for a few weeks.
The company called the Optimus an extremely capable robot, which will have the ability to solve problems on its own. The bot is said to consume 100 W power while sitting and 500 W while walking briskly, and would weigh 73 kg. It would be powered by a 2.3 kWh battery pack positioned in its torso and have actuators to drive its limbs.
Optimus is a long shot. Following the event, Gene Munster, Loup Funds Gene Munster said that if it meets half of Musk's ambitions over the next twenty years it would be a material part of the Tesla investment case.
One of the engineers said it was for anti-backlash, which helps prevent gaps or stuttering motion when a question was asked on why a tendon-driven hand was chosen for the bot.
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Musk said that Optimus Will Evolve: Musk said that the goal is to have the robots as useful as possible. He also suggested that Tesla was not in a reluctant zone and that Tesla was open to evolving the technical solutions over time.
He said that they would be tested internally in Tesla factories to follow the goal of the fastest pathway used for robots that can be made in volume.
Musk said Tesla would want to have really fun versions of the robot so that it can do utilitarian tasks while also being a friend and buddy to hang out with, regardless of whether Optimus will ever get a human personality and laugh at jokes.
Once you have the core intelligence and actuators figured out, you can actually put all kinds of costumes, he said.
Following the event, Musk said on Twitter that there would also be a Catgirl version of Tesla's Optimus.
According to Benzinga Pro, Tesla closed Friday's session down 1.10% at $265.25.