Optimus Revisited: Tesla’s Evolutionary Robot for the Future of Automation

In 2022, Tesla unveiled Optimus, a prototype robot measuring 1.73 meters and weighing 57 kg. At the time, the robot could only perform a few basic tasks. However, Elon Musk, the project’s leader, has announced that Optimus Gen 2 will be launched by the end of 2025. This new model boasts several improvements including enhanced mobility in the neck and hands, as well as sensors in the fingers for handling delicate objects with varying levels of pressure. It can also walk 30% faster, has better balance, and weighs 10 kg less without sacrificing functionality.

Currently capable of performing simple factory tasks, Tesla is testing new abilities for Optimus in its laboratory. Musk predicts that the robot will be able to undertake useful tasks by the end of this year and plans to release it to market by 2025. However, he has stated that the launch timeline is tentative.

Optimus is designed in human form and features cameras for surveillance and a processing system similar to Tesla’s autonomous cars. The robot comes equipped with a 2.3 kWh battery, 40 electromechanical joints for enhanced mobility, and the ability to lift up to 75 kg in dead weight. Musk has suggested that Optimus could cost around $25,000 and anticipates demand reaching between 10 billion and 20 billion units over time.

Tesla’s progress in robot development is impressive but not alone in this rapidly evolving field. Other companies like Apple, Amazon, and Boston Dynamics are also competing in the humanoid robot market with their own projects like domestic robots from Apple or home helper robots from Amazon or Atlas from Boston Dynamics which continues to improve its humanoid robot technology development process .