The Tesla Robot: What will ‘Optimus’ be able to do and how much will it cost?

ELON Musk has promised to ‘end poverty’ with Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus.

But what will it actually be able to do? And could you afford to buy one?

SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP via Getty

What will the Tesla robot do?

“Our goal is to make a useful humanoid robot as quickly as possible,” Musk said at Tesla’s AI Day event last year.

The eccentric billionaire hopes the robot will walk humans into a “future of abundance, a future where there is no poverty, a future where you can have whatever you want in terms of products and services.”

The robot is far from hitting the shelves anytime soon, with Musk anticipating Optimus to be ready to go on sale by 2027.

But here’s what we know what the Tesla bot will be capable of – when it’s ready – so far:

• Forward walking
• Squatting and squat walk
• Side stepping
• Turning while walking
• Lifting objects from the ground up to eye level
• Squeezing or gripping and object and lifting it
• Climbing stairs
• Squatting and picking up and object
• Walking on a slope or hill
• Sliding objects
• Using a drill
• Pushing and pulling objects
• Turning with an object
• Using a screwdriver

Can the Tesla robot walk?

It can, although it’s not replacing Messi anytime soon.

Optimus was unveiled for the second time at the AI Day event in October, where the robot walked on-stage by itself.

But it can only walk around 5mph.

How much will the Tesla robot cost?

There’s not yet a definite price tag on the Tesla bot.

Musk has previously given a ballpark figure of under $20,000 (£16,300).

However, the price of Tesla cars was initially supposed to be around $35,000 (£28,500) but has increased over time.

The bottom line is: it’s going to be expensive.

But makes sense when you look at its anatomy.

Here’s a breakdown:

Brain: Tesla AI chip
Muscles: 28 structural actuators
Eyes: cameras
Ears: microphone
Voice: speaker
Battery: 2.3kWh battery pack, 52V
Power consumption: 100 watts while sitting, 500 watts while walking
Speed: 5 MPH (8 kilometers/hour)
Connectivity: WiFi, LTE
Weight: 161 pounds (73 kilograms)
Carrying capacity: 20 pounds per hand (9 kilograms)
Materials: metal where necessary but as much plastic as possible for weight savings

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