Tesla, the future is here with the new generation of Optimus robots

The ways and timescales in which Elon Musk chooses to communicate news about Tesla cannot be ignored, such is the uproar they arouse. In recent days, the American company has announced the new products it is working on during a presentation entitled 'We, Robot' (winking at the title of Asimov's novel 'I, Robot'). These were the Cybercab, Tesla's first electric vehicle with Level 5 autonomous driving, the Robovan, an autonomous bus in the prototype stage, and then the latest advanced version of the Tesla-branded robotic assistant. The latter took centre stage during the presentation, dancing and interacting with the audience present.

It was August 2021 when Musk unveiled to the world the design of a humanoid robot capable of performing repetitive or dangerous physical tasks. At the time, the public greeted the presentation with some puzzlement, not least because the first Optimus was nothing more than a person in a robot costume mimicking the future capabilities of the device. It was one of Musk's classic twists to stir the imagination and get people talking about Tesla all over the world.

The following year, in October 2022, he officially presented the first prototype capable of moving and performing basic actions. Another two years of experimentation allowed the 'droid' to make giant strides: moving in a controlled manner, autonomously calibrating arms and legs, ordering and sorting blocks, performing complex actions such as balancing on one leg. In December 2023, the last official presentation will be the new Optimus Gen 2 prototype, the next generation, further enhanced by artificial intelligence.

Musk seized the opportunity to show off the progress of Tesla's robotic assistants in front of the audience at the Californian event with a series of demonstrations highlighting their advanced capabilities. It all began with the appearance of a small legion of Optimus, who casually walked across the room greeting the audience and even hinting at head movements. A particularly popular moment was when the robots performed a synchronised dance and when, at the end of the event, they offered drinks behind a counter.

Practical applications, also shown on video, included delivering parcels, watering plants and even interacting with children. "We have come a long way with our robot. Today's Optimus can do crazy things, we've made incredible progress in this field,' was Musk's opening remarks, who talked about how these humanoids will be able to help us in our everyday lives, like a butler would: walking the dog, unloading the boot after shopping, looking after a small child, or serving drinks when friends arrive.