Elon Musk reveals Optimus TeslaBot prototype throughout 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. At first of Tesla’s 2022 AI Day presentation, Musk acknowledged that that they had “a man in a swimsuit” last year however promised one thing way more spectacular right now.

In response to Musk, this prototype can do greater than what was proven dwell, however “the primary time it operated with no tether was tonight on stage.” Musk predicted it might hit a worth of “in all probability lower than $20,000” and later, in a Q&A session, defined that Tesla is superb at constructing the AI and the actuators vital for robotics primarily based on the expertise of manufacturing drive items for electrical automobiles. Musk mentioned that may 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 items and to be very succesful. As he mentioned that, a body of workers 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 needed to maintain it secure, not make too many strikes on stage, and have it “fall flat on its face.” (Greatest to keep away from one other Cybertruck sledgehammer incident should you can.)

Afterward, the corporate confirmed a couple of video clips of the robotic doing different duties like selecting up packing containers.

Then Tesla’s workforce introduced out one other prototype exhibiting a “very near manufacturing” model of Optimus with its physique totally assembled however not totally purposeful — 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 finally rolled off by a body of workers) nonetheless comprises actuators, battery pack, and every thing 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 handle in getting it from the prototype to a working design, they hope to “get this performed 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 centered on addressing the robotic’s joints, like its palms, wrists, or knees, confirmed how they processed knowledge for every joint, then appeared for the widespread areas in every design to discover a technique utilizing solely six completely different actuators. The human-like palms are a “Biologically Impressed Design” that engineers say will make them extra appropriate for choosing up objects of assorted 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 will be manipulated to take note of an unstructured atmosphere.

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

Musk first announced the “Tesla Bot” finally 12 months’s AI Day, promising it might be “pleasant” and doubtlessly revolutionize the corporate’s meeting line and manufacturing enterprise.

Musk had warned his followers to not count on the prototype to appear to be the shiny black-and-white rendering first proven finally 12 months’s occasion. However there’s been no scarcity of hype, with Musk calling the robotic “an important product improvement we’re doing this 12 months” and predicting that it’s going to have the potential to be “extra important than the automobile enterprise over time.”

Future functions might embrace cooking, gardening, and even “catgirl” sex partners; Musk has mentioned whereas claiming that manufacturing might begin as quickly as subsequent 12 months. 

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

Tesla’s historical past is affected 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 right now 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 greatest robotics firm.”

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