Tesla Optimus program is advancing at a neck-breaking pace, with the second generation of the bot demonstrating human-like movements. Tesla has put a lot of effort into improving the hands, which now feature 11 degrees of freedom. Elon Musk says it will be able to thread a needle in less than a year.
Tesla has been expanding its reach outside the automotive industry for years, although many analysts still consider it a carmaker. Among the most promising ventures are artificial intelligence and robotics, represented by Tesla's Full Self-Driving and the Optimus bot program. Not by chance, Elon Musk said each of them has the potential to become bigger than Tesla's automotive business. Not only this, but success or failure in these fields could make or break Tesla.
Although not obvious, these lines of business are closely interconnected. Tesla intends to use Tesla Vision, which it develops for its electric vehicles, to give eyes to Optimus robots. Artificial Intelligence efforts are also shared between Tesla FSD and Optimus bots. Although the progress on the FSD front doesn't seem like advancing, the robot proved to be a fast learner, at least judging by the updates the Tesla Optimus team offered on social media.
Tesla announced its ambition to develop humanoid robots in 2021 during Tesla's AI Day. Back then, it didn't have a prototype ready, and a human dressed like a robot danced on stage. This made Tesla the target of bad jokes, although we've heard fewer jokes since the 2022 AI Day. Last year, Tesla brought on stage Bumblebee and an early prototype of the Optimus bot.
While the former was a rough representation of a humanoid robot that could move on its own, Optimus looked sleeker but couldn't do more than wave to the crowd. It was brought on stage on a wheeled platform because its feet were inoperative. However, Tesla has gone a long way since then and, in less than a year, taught Optimus to move on its own. Not only that, but the robot gained the ability to acquire new skills with no programming involved, just by observing humans.
Photo: Tesla Optimus
To achieve this, Optimus leveraged Tesla Vision and AI learning the same way FSD-enabled vehicles do. This helps the bot track human movements and learn from the interaction. Two months later, or exactly one year after its unveiling at 2022 AI Say, Optimus was balanced enough to graciously perform yoga moves. It also demonstrated proprioception, which is the ability to precisely locate its limbs in space.
If these advancements sound impressive, go below and watch the video presentation of the second-generation Optimus robot. Tesla changed everything inside and out, giving Optimus an incredibly human-like behavior. The video explains that new, custom-designed actuators and sensors are the most important additions to the project. However, this is most obvious when looking at Optimus's hands.
These now have 11 degrees of freedom, allowing delicate and precise movements that only humans can match, as shown in the video demonstration. All ten fingers have tactile sensing, enabling Optimus to manipulate delicate objects like eggs without breaking them. Elon Musk says the robot could thread a needle as soon as next year, which would indeed be quite an achievement.
The video looks too good to be real, which is why members of the Tesla Optimus team felt the need to clarify that no CGI was involved in making the videos. The robot's movements were also recorded in real-time and not sped up to look more fluid. In absolute terms, Optimus walks 30% faster and is also 22 lbs. (10 kg) lighter without sacrificing other abilities.
If you watch the video until the end, you'll see two Optimus bots dancing, hands in the air, which is an incredible accomplishment. Tesla could make them jump in the air in no time, although it's more likely that they will first deploy the robots on the production lines at gigafactories. That would be the fourth industrial revolution we see in our lifetime, after personal computers, the internet, and artificial intelligence.
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
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