Tesla's Optimus Robots Showcase Teleoperation at Event

During the recent Robotaxi event, Tesla showcased their Optimus humanoid robots, primarily operated through teleoperation by Tesla staff. The event was marked by social interactions like conversations and games, which were facilitated by human operators. Interestingly, the autonomous functions displayed by the robots, such as walking and dancing, were limited given the short preparation time and existing software challenges. Elon Musk impulsively decided to feature the robots about three weeks prior to the event, resulting in a rush to deploy the existing Optimus units rather than developing new ones. Despite having several units at their disposal, the team faced hurdles with computer vision and locomotion technologies, forcing them to rely heavily on teleoperation. While there was speculation about human assistance, Musk did not directly admit to it, which led to curiosity among attendees. The robots' public appearances contributed to the overarching narrative Musk presented about the accessibility of personal robots, with a projected price point starting at $20,000. However, this raised questions regarding Optimus's capabilities and the substantial development required for real-world application.