Science & Technology

Tesla is building a robot named Optimus

By T.K. Randall
August 21, 2021

Image: Elon Musk at the SpaceX CRS-8 post-launch press conference
Credit: Kim Shiflett / (PD) NASA In news that is not in the slightest bit disconcerting, Musk has revealed that the robot - named Optimus - will respond to voice commands and is being designed to help "eliminate dangerous, repetitive, boring tasks" - presumably with applications both at home and in the workplace.

Incorporating the autonomous driving technologies that Tesla has developed for its electric cars, Optimus will reportedly be 173 centimetres tall and will weigh in at 57 kilograms.

It will be powered by 40 electromechanical actuators and will also feature a screen on its face.

Capable of carrying loads of up to 20kg, a prototype is expected to be revealed next year.According to Musk, however, it has been designed in such a way so that a human can overpower it without much difficulty, "just in case" it gets any ideas about world domination.

"Tesla is arguably the world's biggest robotics company because our cars are like semi-sentient robots on wheels," he said. "It kind of makes sense to put that onto a humanoid form. We're also quite good at sensors and batteries and actuators."

Could this be the beginning of the robot revolution or will Optimus be little more than a gimmick for those with deep pockets ?

Looks like we won't have to wait long to find out.

Source: New Scientist

Tags: Optimus, Robot, Elon Musk