More than a year has passed after the first public demonstration of the Optimus robot company Tesla, during which very unstable robots were shown, randomly waved with their hands and falling from the slightest effect. However, judging by the new video, the technology has advanced significantly.
Video shows the Bumblebee robot prototype from September 2022, then “Optimus – Gen 1” from March 2023 and finally represents the Optimus – Gen 2, released in December 2023. The robot performs various tasks: walks, squats, carefully manipulates chicken eggs, without breaking them, and even dances.
Below is a list of key characteristics Optimus Gen 2:
- A complete set of drives and sensors developed in Tesla;
- Neck with 2 degrees of freedom;
- Increased walking speed by 30%;
- Sensors of force/torque in the legs;
- Mobile sections of the toes;
- The geometry of the human foot;
- Reducing total weight by 10 kg;
- Improved balance and control of the whole body;
- New hands with 11 degrees of freedom and accelerated work;
- Tactile perception on all fingers;
- Manipulations with fragile objects.
Optimus Gen 2 is a prototype not intended for production or sale. As Ilon Musk, the general director of Tesla, this robot is a potential step towards creating a more functional humanoid capable of performing work that people do not want to do. The robot was created in the form and size similar to a human, so that it can over time replace human labor.
Nevertheless, questions are left about when the replacement of human labor will become a reality, given all the difficulties in engineering and the social component. The only thing that can be said, if all the information on the video corresponds to reality, Tesla takes significant steps to achieve its goal and promotes the development of robotics no worse than Boston Dynamics or Unitree.