Pete
Tesla, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle and clean energy company, is known for its innovative products and ambitious vision. But one of its most surprising and intriguing projects is the development of a humanoid robot called Optimus, also known as Tesla Bot.
Optimus is a conceptual, general-purpose robotic humanoid that Tesla announced at its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Day event on August 19, 2021. According to Musk, Optimus is designed to be a friendly and helpful machine that can perform a wide range of tasks, such as picking up groceries, doing household chores, or handling work that is dangerous or boring for humans.
Optimus is expected to be 5’8″ and weigh 125 pounds, with a speed of 5 miles per hour. It will have a screen on its face that can display useful information or emotions, and 40 electromechanical actuators that enable it to move its limbs and body. It will be powered by the same hardware and software that Tesla uses for its cars.
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Musk has said that the main goal of Optimus is to eliminate the need for humans to do repetitive, dull or dangerous tasks, and to create a future where humans can enjoy more leisure time and creativity. He also said that Optimus could potentially address the problem of labor shortages in various sectors, such as manufacturing, agriculture and health care.
Musk also said that Optimus could be a platform for other developers and entrepreneurs to create new applications and services. He envisioned that Optimus could be programmed to do anything from gardening to entertaining people.
There’s no clear timeline for commercialization or mass production, but Musk says they’re aiming to begin production as early as 2024, and that it could cost $20,000 within three to five years.
Tesla has shown some progress on Optimus since its initial announcement. In September 2021, they released a video showing Optimus sorting objects on its own, and just last month, a new video came out showing it walking slowly and picking up items with improved stability and dexterity.
Some experts and critics have expressed skepticism about Tesla’s ability to deliver on its promises, citing the technical challenges and ethical implications of creating a humanoid robot. Some have also questioned whether Optimus is a serious project or a publicity stunt by Musk.
