Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and more Pre-recorded videos were next, the first showing Bumble Cee moving a box from a shelf to an office with people at their desks, placing the box carefully beside a person seated at a computer. More videos revealed that even this first Optimus prototype could identify objects with its computer vision, picking up a small metal bar at a Tesla factory and lifting a pitcher to water plants in an office. Image used with permission by copyright holder The second prototype is much more refined in appearance, and Tesla said this Optimus prototype was built using Tesla-designed actuators that provide much greater freedom of movement. Unfortunately, this Tesla bot wasn’t ready to walk or even stand without support. The demonstration involved rolling the Optimus prototype out on a stand that supported its waist to allow arms and legs to move freely. Honestly, it was difficult to get a sense of how this Tesla robot would compare to Bumble Cee from this portion of the demonstration. Tesla did, however, present several slides and photographs detailing the construction of the newer version and pointing out the advancements. How good is the latest Optimus prototype? The latest version of the Optimus prototype looks somewhat similar to the concept art shared in 2021. Several joints are exposed, as should be expected from a work-in-progress, but the robot doesn’t have as many wires and moving parts visible, providing a much better idea of what to expect from the finished design. Image used with permission by copyright holder Using Tesla-designed actuators and other custom-made components, this updated Optimus prototype should exceed Bumble Cee in almost every way. When a part is optimized for a particular task, the result is often smaller, lighter, more durable, lower cost, and more efficient. That’s because every aspect of the component can be tweaked to more precisely fit the ideal design parameters. Musk shared that the new Optimus prototype will probably be able to walk within a few weeks and said regular updates would be given as Tesla’s work progresses on this potentially game-changing robot. It remains to be seen how quickly the new version can be brought up to speed and we’ll update this article as more details become available. When will Optimus be available to the public? Musk answered a question about availability, saying you should be able to order and receive an Optimus in 3 to 5 years. That puts the estimated shipping date in the fall of 2027 or sooner. This date is far enough away that the accuracy should be discounted. Image used with permission by copyright holder In the past, Musk has proven to be overly optimistic about how quickly Tesla projects will become actual products. Admittedly, speculating on such advanced and ground-breaking technology is bound to have a significant margin of error; however, Tesla’s missed delivery dates are a well-known and accepted reality. When Optimus becomes available for preorder, everyone should be prepared for the inevitable delays. How much will Optimus cost? Elon Musk estimated the cost of an Optimus robot at under $20,000. Musk explained why the Tesla bot would cost less than a car in various interviews before the AI Day 2 event. Compared to the cost of manufacturing a Tesla car, the robot uses far fewer materials at a much lower cost. On the other hand, some of its components are quite complex. Image used with permission by copyright holder Tooling and manufacturing costs should be significantly reduced by the size difference. Casting the unibody frame of a Tesla vehicle and moving such large parts around the factory requires a large amount of space and is energy-intensive. Tesla’s Optimus robot weighs just 161 pounds and stands about five feet, eight inches tall, which is much more manageable than a vehicle. Since Tesla cars are already packed full of computer chips, cameras, and other electronics, this reasoning seems plausible. This begs the question of who would spend $20,000 on a robot. Those wealthy enough to casually spend $20,000 on an unproven technology might be eager to preorder one. For larger orders, industrial use seems likely, particularly in Tesla’s factories. If Optimus proves to be robust and reliable enough to do actual work, governments, organizations, and businesses would follow suit. Musk envisions Optimus serving as a robotic butler and caregiver to ease the burden of everyday tasks. Who will get the Tesla Bot first? Since Tesla needs to accelerate production at its Gigafactories and the Optimus robot will need to be tested and trained before shipping it as a product, it would make sense to use the Tesla bot at Tesla and SpaceX. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has recently confirmed this via a reply on Twitter. Naturally, the research lab is where the prototype was first tested but at AI Day 2, a video was shown of the Optimus prototype lifting a metal bar and this was at Tesla’s Fremont, California factory. Yes