Date:
October 15, 2024
The impressive autonomous demonstration of Optimus Robots during the We, Robot event was reportedly controlled by humans.
Tesla has been in the news ever since it convened the We, Robot event and demonstrated multiple products of autonomous capabilities. It includes a huge Robovan, a Cybercab similar to the Cybertruck, and Optimus robots. While the vehicles have a proven history of being fully self-driven, the Optimus Robots were a new entrant in helping humans with their everyday tasks.
Most of the delegates, investors, and fans who visited the event were mesmerized by the impressive functionality and aesthetics of the Optimus bots. The bots were captured walking around the party, interacting with people in a highly conversational manner, and mixing drinks at the bar. The visual experience was a stark glimpse of how life could be if autonomous robots walked among humans in the future.
Two media outlets, however, have reported that the Optimus robots were actually being controlled by human experts in the background. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas reported that the robots relied on tele-ops to perform a marvelous demonstration of the upcoming future.
The Optimus bots will supposedly roll out at a price tag range between $20,000 and $30,000 each. “As you can see, we started up with someone in a robot suit, and then we’ve progressed dramatically year after year. So if you extrapolate this, you’re really going to have something spectacular, something that anyone could own, so you can have your own personal R2-D2 [or] C-3PO,” said Elon Musk about his Optimus Robot breakthrough’s commercial feasibility.
Another video displayed the Optimus bot making drinks behind the bar counter, acknowledging the fact that it was being assisted by a human. First, if the robots were actually being assisted remotely by humans, then the vision shown is truly a false one. Apart from the controversial aspect of whether we have achieved a breakthrough, it also places a doubt whether these robots will be available by 2030.
