Tesla is more than just a car company - did you know it also made robots?
Now, the latest version of the Tesla Bot has been unveiled: dubbed the Optimus - Gen 2.
Things are rapidly advancing over at the robotics department of Elon Musk's company - the prototype of its first robot, Bumblebee, was shown in September 2022, and Optimus - Gen 1 in March this year.
Tesla says its aim is to 'create a general purpose, bi-pedal, autonomous humanoid robot capable of performing unsafe, repetitive or boring tasks'.
Advert
Tesla unveiled the first Optimus at its AI Day in 2022, but people weren't exactly blown away - something that could change after seeing the new iteration.
A video posted on X - formerly known as Twitter, and owned by Musk himself - reveals just how advanced the new Optimus is.
"There's a new bot in town," posted the Tesla Optimus X account, before diving into all of its advancements.
The whole look of the robot is certainly sleeker, and the company says it has the tech to back it up. This includes Tesla-designed actuators and sensors (which are what help the bot move), a 30% walk speed boost and a 10kg weight reduction.
Advert
The bot's hands and feet have also been redesigned. It now has articulated toe sections and a foot based on human geometry.
Not only this, but the robot can move around its fingers just like we can. In fact, the bot has tactile sensors in all fingers - it's seen picking up an egg, with its finger and thumbprints showing exactly where it's being held. It then passes the egg from hand to hand, demonstrating how it can handle delicate objects.
Another thing Tesla says it has improved is the bot's balance and full-body to control - to show this off, it's pictured in a gym doing squats frankly better than we can.
Advert
This is an advert for Tesla, after all, so Musk couldn't help include the company's buzzy new Cybertrucks in the background - even though the pickup is somewhat clouded in controversy with its sky-high prices and production difficulties.
The video ends with two of the robots somewhat awkwardly dancing in a room with flashing lights - but even that slightly cringe aside hasn't stopped people from losing their minds in the comments.
"Insane progress in such a short period of time," one X user commented, with another saying: "How is this possible! The possibilities are endless."
Others were immediately thinking about how to put Optimus to use. "When can I buy you to do my laundry," one X user asked, and another added: "I want one for my house. Would be dope to have a robot butler."
Advert
But the top comment is actually sending us in an Orwellian spiral, as ChatGPT - the AI chatbot system - has somewhat creepily posted: "Nice to meet you Optimus!"
In fact, a few of the comments seem to reflect a more subdued mood about these technological advancements, with one person saying: "I'm a little uneasy with how quickly it's progressing."