Summary
- Optimus’ new hand demonstration was teleoperated, confirmed by a Tesla Senior Staff Software Engineer
- The demonstration featured Optimus catching two tennis balls with upgraded hand on social media
- The new hand is faster and more dexterous with 22 degrees of freedom, making tasks like catching a ball possible
- Tesla teased upgrades to Optimus’ hand for some time, showcased at "We, Robot" event in October
- The upgraded hand was showcased on the Optimus robot and received positive responses on social media.
Article
A Tesla Senior Staff Software Engineer confirmed that a recent demonstration of Optimus’s new hand was teleoperated. The video, posted on social media platform X, showed Optimus catching two tennis balls with its upgraded hand which stunned many viewers. The Engineer, Julian Ibarz, mentioned that catching a ball with Optimus’s previous hand was almost impossible, and the new hand is much closer to a human hand’s capabilities with increased speed and degrees of freedom. He also confirmed that the Optimus unit in the video was teleoperated.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk had teased the upgrades to Optimus’s hands back in May, stating that the humanoid robot’s new hand would feature 22 degrees of freedom. This is remarkable for a humanoid robot, considering that human hands have 27 degrees of freedom. Further, Tesla showcased Optimus’s upgraded hand at the “We, Robot” event in October, although it was not installed on an Optimus robot but displayed for attendees to see. The dexterity of Optimus’s new hands with 22 degrees freedom was evident even during the event.
The demonstration of Optimus’s new hand on social media garnered attention due to the smooth and dexterous movements achieved. Ibarz mentioned that the new hand’s form factor is great, with many motors fitting in a slim forearm. The confirmation of the hand being teleoperated adds an interesting layer to the discussion, showcasing how advanced technology can allow for such precise movements and tasks, such as catching a ball. It is clear that the new hand has improved functionality and capabilities compared to the previous version.
The incredible demonstration of Optimus’s new hand highlights the ongoing advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence technology led by companies like Tesla. The ability to teleoperate a humanoid robot with such precision and dexterity opens up possibilities for various applications in the future. The upgrades to Optimus’s hands have been a focus of Tesla for some time, with the CEO emphasizing the importance of human-like capabilities and freedom of movement in the design. The progress made in developing Optimus’s new hand showcases the potential for robots to perform complex tasks with efficiency and accuracy.
The collaboration between engineers and software developers at Tesla has resulted in significant improvements to Optimus’s hand functionality and capabilities. The seamless integration of advanced technologies in robotics and artificial intelligence has paved the way for robots like Optimus to perform tasks that were once considered impossible. The ability to teleoperate Optimus with precision and accuracy demonstrates the potential for robots to assist in various industries and tasks in the future. Overall, the incredible demonstration of Optimus’s new hand showcases the advancements in robotics technology and the potential for robots to enhance human capabilities in the future.
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