Elon Musk reveals Optimus TeslaBot prototype during AI Day 2022

Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed a prototype of a humanoid “Optimus” robotic that shares some AI software program and sensors with its automobiles’ Autopilot driver help options. In the beginning of Tesla’s 2022 AI Day presentation, Musk acknowledged that they’d “a man in a go well with” final yr however promised one thing rather more spectacular at this time.

In keeping with Musk, this prototype can do greater than what was proven stay, however “the primary time it operated with no tether was tonight on stage.” Musk predicted it may hit a value of “most likely lower than $20,000” and later, in a Q&A session, defined that Tesla is excellent at constructing the AI and the actuators obligatory for robotics primarily based on the expertise of manufacturing drive models for electrical automobiles. Musk stated that might assist it get succesful robots into manufacturing and begin off by testing them inside its factories.

He claimed that the distinction between Tesla’s design and different “very spectacular humanoid robotic demonstrations” is that Tesla’s Optimus is made for mass manufacturing within the “tens of millions” of models and to be very succesful. As he stated that, a workforce moved a non-walking prototype offstage behind him.

Initially, the again doorways of the stage opened to disclose a deconstructed Optimus that Tesla calls “Bumble C” that walked ahead and did a “elevate the roof” dance transfer. Musk admitted that they wished to maintain it protected, not make too many strikes on stage, and have it “fall flat on its face.” (Finest to keep away from one other Cybertruck sledgehammer incident in the event you can.)

Afterward, the corporate confirmed just a few video clips of the robotic doing different duties like choosing up bins.

Then Tesla’s staff introduced out one other prototype exhibiting a “very near manufacturing” model of Optimus with its physique totally assembled however not totally useful — it was held up on a stand and waved to the viewers, exhibiting the vary of movement of its wrist and hand. Musk claimed this unit (that was walked out and ultimately rolled off by a workforce) nonetheless comprises actuators, battery pack, and every part else however “wasn’t fairly able to stroll.”

They revealed that the preliminary robotic introduced was developed in simply the previous six months. Discussing hurdles they’ve to deal with in getting it from the prototype to a working design, they hope to “get this accomplished throughout the subsequent few months… or years.”

It comprises a 2.3kWh battery pack, runs on a Tesla SoC, and has Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity. Demonstrations targeted on addressing the robotic’s joints, like its fingers, wrists, or knees, confirmed how they processed knowledge for every joint, then appeared for the widespread areas in every design to discover a methodology utilizing solely six completely different actuators. The human-like fingers are a “Biologically Impressed Design” that engineers say will make them extra appropriate for selecting up objects of varied sizes and styles, holding a 20-point bag, and having a “precision grip” on small elements.

Tesla’s Autopilot software program was moved from its automobiles to the bot and retooled to work within the new physique and atmosphere. Tesla movement captured folks doing real-world duties like lifting a field after which utilizing inverse kinematics, repeats the actions utilizing Optimus. Then “on-line movement adaptation” is utilized to make it so these duties aren’t so inflexible and could be manipulated to take into consideration an unstructured atmosphere.

“It’s going to be a elementary transformation for civilization as we all know it,” stated Musk. He continues to say that Optimus has the potential of “two orders of magnitude” of potential enchancment of financial output.

Musk first introduced the “Tesla Bot” finally yr’s AI Day, promising it could be “pleasant” and probably revolutionize the corporate’s meeting line and manufacturing enterprise.

Musk had warned his followers to not count on the prototype to seem like the shiny black-and-white rendering first proven finally yr’s occasion. However there’s been no scarcity of hype, with Musk calling the robotic “a very powerful product improvement we’re doing this yr” and predicting that it’ll have the potential to be “extra vital than the car enterprise over time.”

Future purposes may embrace cooking, gardening, and even “catgirl” intercourse companions; Musk has stated whereas claiming that manufacturing may begin as quickly as subsequent yr. 

Within the days main as much as AI Day, robotics consultants warned towards shopping for an excessive amount of into Musk’s claims. They’ve famous that different firms are a lot additional alongside in growing robots that may stroll, run, and even soar — however none are claiming to be near changing human labor.

Tesla’s historical past is plagued by fanciful concepts that by no means panned out — like a solar-powered Supercharger network, battery swapping, or robotic snake-style chargers — so it is anybody’s guess as as to if a production-ready Tesla Bot will ever see the sunshine of day. However the firm is the place it’s at this time due to Musk’s sheer will. And the reveal of a prototype model of the robotic is certain to bolster Musk’s claims of Tesla as “the world’s largest robotics firm.”

Replace October 1st, 12:40AM ET: Added edited presentation video, promo photos of the “TeslaBot,” and some extra particulars.