What Tesla’s Optimus Robot Can Do

Tesla has developed an autonomous humanoid robot called Optimus. The robot is designed to perform unsafe, repetitive or boring tasks. It promises to free up your time to relax or do more of the things you enjoy and love. I can’t wait to meet one and shake its hand.

What can Optimus do?

Optimus has been designed to assist with household chores and act as a companion robot.

It can walk and balance on one leg. It can traverse uneven terrain and walk around obstacles. By communicating with sibling robots, it can walk around a factory floor.

It can recognise and pick up objects. It can sort objects autonomously. The robot can even fold a shirt.  But can it iron yet?

Optimus can catch a tennis ball thrown at it. If it can pick up balls from the court and serve, perhaps it might become the perfect tennis training partner!

Tesla Optimus Technology

Optimus uses deep learning, computer vision, motion planning, control, mechanical and software engineering. The team is made up of a group of specialist engineers.

The robot uses a version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) computer. This technology has been adapted for bipedal navigation. The robot has sensors and cameras on its body to help it navigate complex environments.

Tesla Optimus Features

The robot has the following features:

• Height: 1.73 metres tall
• Weight: 57 kilograms
• Walking speed (aka gait): 0.6 meters per second (~1.34 mph)

The new version features:

• Tesla designed actuators and sensors
• 2-DoP actuate neck
• Actuators-integrated electronics and harnessing
• 30% walk speed boost and 10 kg total weight reduction
• Improved balance and full body control (allowing squats in good form)
• Faster 11-DoF brand-new hands with tactile sensing on all fingers to allow delicate object manipulation
• Foot force/torque sensing, articulated toe sections and human foot geometry

Optimus is estimated to cost around US$20,000.

Tell me about the Optimus prototype

The robot was first announced in 2021. In 2022, a working prototype of the Tesla bot was shown at AI Day in Palo Alto, California. At the time, Elon Musk said he expected them to be ready in 3 to 5 years. Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq) expressed an interest in purchasing one.

The robot was originally called Bumblebee. Newer versions of the robot are called Optimus. Gen 1 was released in March 2023, and Gen 2 was released in December 2023.

Prototypes were shown at the Seoul Mobility Show, 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China.

In July 2023, Optimus robots arrived on display in Tesla stores. The bots are ready for field testing in factories.

When Will Optimus be available?

In 2025, Optimus will continue to be trialled in limited production for Tesla’s internal use. In 2026, it is planned that it will be ready for purchase by other companies.

Elon Musk said in an X post, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026.

Conclusion

If I can teach Optimus to wash my clothes, do the dishes, clean my house, and stop it from watching the cricket on the television, I might just have the ideal roommate.

P.S. Dear Santa, I would like a sold-out Tesla Bot Action Figure for Christmas.