Tesla's Optimus Program: A Remarkable Journey Towards Humanoid Robotics
by Lucky LI on Sep 25, 2023
Over the weekend, Tesla shared an impressive update on its Optimus program through a short video on social media. The video showcased the current capabilities of Optimus, highlighting its self-calibration procedures and its vision-based system for sorting items.
One of the most striking developments was Optimus' newfound ability to execute fluid movements, with the humanoid robot effortlessly sorting objects and even performing basic yoga poses. This marked a significant leap from the robot's previous limitations, especially considering that just a year ago, Tesla's in-house Optimus humanoid robot at AI Day 2022 couldn't even walk on its own.
Optimus can now sort objects autonomously 🤖
— Tesla Optimus (@Tesla_Optimus) September 23, 2023
Its neural network is trained fully end-to-end: video in, controls out.
Come join to help develop Optimus (& improve its yoga routine 🧘)
→ https://t.co/dBhQqg1qya pic.twitter.com/1Lrh0dru2r
Tesla's social media update wasn't just a display of technology; it was also a recruitment effort. A quick visit to Tesla's Careers page reveals over 50 open positions dedicated to the Optimus program, all based in Palo Alto, California.
These job openings encompass a wide range of disciplines, including software engineering, mechatronics engineering, robotics CAE engineering, embedded software engineering, robotic manipulation engineering, and joint control engineering, among others. It's evident that Tesla is aggressively expanding its humanoid robotics team as it pushes ahead with the Optimus program.
Tesla is hiring a lot of @Tesla_Optimus positions. Full speed ahead. 2024 is the year of the humanoid.
— Smoke-away (@SmokeAwayyy) September 24, 2023
1. Software Engineer, Tesla Bot
2. Mechatronics Engineer, Tesla Bot
3. QA Tester, Tesla Bot
4. Release Manager, Tesla Bot
5. Engineering Technician, Tesla Bot
6. Reliability…
During AI Day 2022, Elon Musk stated that Optimus deliveries could become a reality in as little as 3-5 years, roughly translating to 2025-2027. Such a timeline may have seemed overly ambitious at the time, given the program's audacious goals. However, the recent demonstration of the humanoid robot's capabilities suggests that a 2027 release might not be as farfetched as it initially appeared.
While Tesla's Optimus program is still in its early stages, the progress made in just a few years is undeniably astonishing. In AI Day 2021, Tesla's Optimus presence was limited to a man in a suit, a static model, and a CGI trailer. By AI Day 2022, Tesla had not one but two functioning Optimus prototypes: one constructed from off-the-shelf components capable of independent walking and another equipped with custom-made actuators, albeit unable to stand upright yet.
Looking ahead, if Tesla decides to host AI Day 2023, it promises to be a captivating event, offering insights into the continued evolution of the Optimus program and the fascinating world of humanoid robotics.
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