Tesla Unveils Demo Video of its Latest Humanoid Robot, Optimus Gen 2

On Tuesday, December 12, Tesla released a demo video showing the latest version of its prototype humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 2. It is a non-production prototype robot. Over one year after Tesla's first public Optimus robot demo, which showcased shaky robots that waved and slumped over, things have apparently progressed quite a bit, assuming that the video accurately reflects the technology.  "Everything in this video is real, no CGI. All real time, nothing sped up. Incredible hardware improvements from the team," wrote Tesla Senior Staff Software Engineer Julian Ibarz on X. The promotional video opens with a shot of "Bumblebee," Tesla's first humanoid prototype from September 2022. Then it shows "Optimus - Gen 1" from March 2023. And after some teasing shots of a different robot, the video puts text on the screen that reads, "Introducing Optimus - Gen 2. December 2023." As the robot performs various tasks, such as walking slowly, crouching, manipulating eggs, and articulating its arms, it lists out these features of Gen 2:
- Tesla-designed actuators and sensors
- 2-DoF (degrees of freedom) actuated neck
- Actuators-integrated electronics and harnessing
- 30 percent walk speed boost
- Foot force/torque sensing
- Articulated toe sections
- Human foot geometry
- 10 kg total weight reduction
- Improved balance and full-body control
- Faster, 11-DoF brand-new hands
- Tactile sensing on all fingers
- Delicate objects manipulation (holding an egg)
For details, visit https://cdn.arstechnica.net.