Latest news with #TeslaOptimus
NDTV
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Rivalling Musk's Optimus Robot, China Unveils Rs 5 Lakh Bot That Can Fist-Fight
A humanoid robot that can fist-fight and even do cartwheels has been unveiled by a Chinese company that costs a little over Rs 5 lakh ($6,000), rivalling other companies producing similar bots. The new R1 robot by Unitree Robotics, unveiled on Friday, could be seen performing handstands and throwing combination punches. The R1 weighs about 55 pounds and has 26 joints to allow for flexible movement. It is also equipped with multimodal artificial intelligence, including voice and image recognition. The robot's capabilities, as shown in the viral video, mark a significant leap forward in robotic locomotion and balance. Apart from displaying ample boxing capabilities, the robot also performed "kip-up' -- a complex gymnastic manoeuvre involving a person or robot transitioning from a supine position to standing without using their hands. See the viral video here: Unitree Introducing | Unitree R1 Intelligent Companion Price from $5900 Join us to develop/customize, ultra-lightweight at approximately 25kg, integrated with a Large Multimodal Model for voice and images, let's accelerate the advent of the agent era!🥰 — Unitree (@UnitreeRobotics) July 25, 2025 As of the last update, the video had garnered nearly three million views and hundreds of comments, with the majority asking if the robot could perform everyday chores. "Will it fight anyone you point at? Asking for a friend," said one user while another added: "Can it walk my dog and serve breakfast to my kids?" Meanwhile, other users tagged Elon Musk and his Tesla Optimus company, which also develops general-purpose, bipedal humanoids, capable of performing tasks that are unsafe, repetitive or boring. "Yo @Tesla@Tesla_Optimus@elonmusk. You guys still trying compete? Hope you're not still in the lab in few years while these guys are ramping and deploying next year?" the user said. Apart from Mr Musk's company, US firm Boston Dynamics and its Atlas robots have also helped pioneer the humanoid robot market. However, an advanced human-like bot for just Rs 5 lakh, if done successfully, could mark a major milestone for China in the robotics and AI race. Currently, Unitree's larger, more advanced humanoid robot H1 sells for more than Rs 77 lakh ($90,000). Unitree's older G1 humanoid, which has costs Rs 13.8 lakh ($16,000), grew popular for use in research labs and schools.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk's Mars colonization plans face intergalactic hurdle
Elon Musk's space internet is down, leaving people worldwide without internet. Downdetector, a site that monitors online outages, shows issues affecting SpaceX's Starlink around 3pm ET. Users cited sluggish connections, intermittent service, and in many cases, total blackouts. A live outage map showed widespread disruptions in major US cities, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle. Downdetector also received outage reports from users in Australia, Canada, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and several other countries across South America and Europe. The outage comes just months after Starlink hit a $350 billion valuation in December 2024. The service currently boasts more than six million active users worldwide. Musk has previously stated that Starlink's profits are 'being used to pay for humanity getting to Mars.' While it's unclear how much revenue the company generates daily, a widespread service disruption could pose a setback to those lofty interplanetary ambitions. 'Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution,' Starlink's X account posted. 'We appreciate your patience, we'll share an update once this issue is resolved.' The outage has left many customers frustrated, with many posting on Musk's X demanding refunds. 'Hope there's a big refund coming. You charge top dollar so this [expletive] doesn't happen!' one customer shared. Starlink's Residential plan costs $120 per month, while the Residential Lite plan is $80 per month. There are also Roam plans for users who need internet on the go, with prices ranging from $50 to $165 per month. And the standard Starlink kit costs $349 plus shipping. 'You owe us all a refund for today… better see a discount on that next bill or we will have issues you failed to provide your service,' one X user commented on Starlink's post acknowledging the outage. In May, Musk unveiled bold new plans for SpaceX's strategy to colonize Mars, detailing what he called the next phase in space exploration. While much of the presentation focused on landing a Tesla Optimus robot in 2026, the billionaire announced that SpaceX will also send Starlink satellites to provide internet to those who chose to live on the Martian world.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Tesla Optimus humanoid robot serving popcorn goes viral; says, ‘This will become normal in a few years'
Source: X Tesla CEO Elon Musk has once again spotlighted the evolving capabilities of the Tesla Optimus humanoid robot. In a video that went viral across social media, the robot is shown calmly serving popcorn to a human guest. This quirky, popcorn-pouring showcase might seem lighthearted, but it marks another serious step toward Musk's larger vision: a future where humanoid robots seamlessly assist in everyday tasks. From folding laundry to walking your dog, Optimus is inching closer to becoming a functional, everyday companion. The video has triggered fresh conversations around the future of robotics and automation . Elon Musk unveils Optimus robot serving popcorn at Tesla Diner The latest clip, posted by Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter), features the Optimus robot gently filling a packet of popcorn and offering it with a polite thumbs-up and a friendly wave. While the robot's movements are deliberate and slightly slower than a human's, it manages the task without a single spill or misstep. According to Musk, this event took place at the soft opening of the Tesla Diner and Supercharger Station at 7001 W. Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles. This seemingly simple act is a milestone in the development of general-purpose robotics, highlighting precision, motor control, and user interaction capabilities. 'This will become normal in a few years,' Musk commented in his post, emphasising that serving popcorn is just the beginning. Musk envisions Tesla Optimus as a general-purpose robot that could soon assist with household chores, caregiving, pet walking, and even babysitting. At Tesla's 2024 'We, Robot' event, he boldly predicted that Optimus could eventually 'walk right up to you and serve drinks,' becoming an integral part of everyday life, like smartphones are today. Optimus may become common in homes, says Musk The Tesla Optimus journey began in 2021 when Musk introduced the original Tesla Bot concept. Initially planned for a 2023 release, the robot's development has faced multiple delays. In 2022, Tesla presented a prototype that could walk, retrieve objects, and even water plants. However, safety concerns remained. Musk acknowledged during the bot's debut that they "didn't want it to fall on its face" during a live demo. By July 2024, Musk revealed an updated timeline, projecting commercial sales of Optimus to begin in 2026. Yet, at the 'We, Robot' event later that year, many of the robots on display were revealed to be remotely operated by humans, not fully autonomous, highlighting the ongoing technical hurdles. Popcorn Demo reveals challenges in humanoid robot autonomy Though entertaining, the popcorn video underscores the vast challenges of developing fully autonomous humanoid robots. Today's robots still rely heavily on remote operation or preset routines, especially for interactions requiring nuanced human-like responses. That said, Optimus's ability to track tasks, manipulate objects, and engage with humans in a friendly way suggests that Tesla's team is methodically refining both hardware and software. With every demo—from folding clothes to serving snacks—Tesla inches closer to delivering on Musk's ambitious promise: robots that aren't just useful but feel almost natural in our daily lives. Humanoid robot Optimus future upgrades Looking ahead, Tesla plans to gradually improve autonomous movement, task flexibility, and environmental adaptability in the Optimus line. Future upgrades may allow these bots to function effectively in homes, restaurants, offices, and even hospitals. While Musk's 2026 target for commercial rollout may seem optimistic, continued innovation and public interest suggest that humanoid robots could soon shift from science fiction to everyday reality. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
India Today
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Elon Musk confirms popcorn-serving Tesla Optimus robots are coming soon to a diner near you
Elon Musk has been steadily demonstrating the expanding abilities of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots, and the latest showcase has popcorn involved. From folding T-shirts and playing rock-paper-scissors to dancing and walking in human-like motion, Optimus continues to pick up new tricks. In the most recent video shared on X (formerly Twitter), an Optimus robot is seen politely serving popcorn to a will become normal in a few years Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 20, 2025advertisementIn the video, the robot holds a packet, fills it up in two precise pours, then hands it over with a thumbs-up and a wave. While the process seems a bit slower than human speed, it's impressively tidy, no spills, no fumbling, and a satisfied watching this video, a user asked where it was happening. To this, Grok replied, "The Tesla Optimus robot is serving popcorn at the soft opening of the Tesla Diner and Supercharger station at 7001W. Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles." Moreover, Musk wrote in the post, 'This will become normal in a few years.' His claims reinforce his long-standing vision of humanoid robots becoming a regular part of our daily has often described the Optimus bot as a general-purpose companion capable of performing a wide range of tasks. Speaking at the We, Robot event last year, he boldly claimed these machines can 'do anything,' and envisioned a near future where they'll 'walk right up to you and serve drinks.' Beyond that, Musk believes they'll be able to walk your dog, mow the lawn, babysit children, and assist in countless other Tesla's humanoid robotics journey has been far from smooth. The idea was first introduced in 2021 when Musk unveiled the Tesla Bot concept, later rebranded as Optimus. Initially slated for release in 2023, the project has seen delays, with the robot still under active 2022, Tesla revealed a walking prototype capable of basic tasks like object retrieval. During its first untethered public demonstration, Musk noted the safety concerns, quipping, 'We didn't want it to fall on its face.' The bot was shown successfully lifting objects and even watering July 2024, Musk shared an updated roadmap, suggesting Tesla could begin commercial sales of Optimus by 2026. Yet, just a few months later at Tesla's 'We, Robot' event in October 2024, it became clear the project was still evolving. The event witnessed many of the robots, which were remotely operated by humans, underscoring that the tech hasn't reached full autonomy the setbacks, Tesla appears determined to keep pushing the envelope. With each quirky demo, popcorn now included, Optimus is inching closer to Musk's grand vision of a future where humanoid robots are as common as smartphones.- EndsTune In
Mint
13-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Elon Musk's SpaceX to invest in xAI: From $2 billion funding, to $113 billion valuation, what we know…
Tech billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX will invest $2 billion, close to half of his artificial intelligence startup xAI's $5 billion equity round, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. This would deepen ties between the world's rixhest man's rockets and AI businesses, amid his vow to compete with OpenAI, it added. Notably, this marks SpaceX's first public investment into xAI, and one of its largest in another company, the report pointed. Further, investments into ventures outside of rockets have been rare, with the latest being $5524 million for a satellite company. It added that as per recent records the company had over $3 billion in cash. SpaceX and xAI did not immediately respond to queries from WSJ and Reuters. The $2 billion influx comes after xAI merged with social media giant X (formerly Twitter), and values the company at $113 billion, as per the report. It is part of the $5 billion equity raise announce by Morgan Stanley in June 2025. Notably, 'xAI's AI chatbot Grok already powers customer support features for Starlink and is likely to be integrated into the billionaire's Tesla Optimus robots as well, the report added. A spokesperson for Elon Musk told investors that more business partnerships between SpaceX and xAI are likely in the future, it added. The report added that Elon Musk has a history of using SpaceX to fund his other ventures. For example, he personally borrowed $20 million from his rocket company to fund auto maker Tesla in the early days, and set up The Boring Company, and more recently he took $1 billion loan (paid off) from SpaceX to fund his buy of Twitter, it said. However, it added that this recent funding could prove risky. While SpaceX revenue has increased, it is pouring billions into a new Starship rocket, which is already delayed and suffered failures during test flights. (With inputs from WSJ, Reuters)
