Elon Musk’s Quirky Reference
Tesla CEO Elon Musk injected some humor into the tech world recently by drawing a parallel between a unique robot named Looi and a famous animated character from Rick and Morty.
The Tale of Looi: Looi, a desktop robot created by Tangible Future, boasts magnetic connectivity to smartphones, utilizing the phone screen as its expressive face.
Looi promises to be an interactive desktop companion, fueled by ChatGPT for a spectrum of emotions. It aims to engage users with games, ensure safe navigation around desks, and double up as a wireless charging hub.
The innovative project is currently seeking backers on Kickstarter, offering its hardware starting at $169. Production is slated to kick off in July 2024, with shipments to commence in August 2024.
Musk’s Humorous Input: Musk playfully chimed in on Twitter with a simple “pass the butter” in reference to the iconic “Butter Robot” from Rick and Morty.
In the animated sitcom, the character Rick designs a similar robot solely to pass him butter at the dining table. However, the robot meets an untimely demise while attempting to exceed its intended function.
Significance of the Banter: Musk’s Tesla has been making waves with its development of a humanoid robot dubbed Optimus, which Musk himself proclaims will be a remarkable creation. The upcoming Optimus bot is anticipated to revolutionize automation and human-robot interaction.
During Tesla’s recent earnings briefing, Musk expressed confidence in delivering the first units of Optimus in the near future. He acknowledged the inherent uncertainties but maintained an optimistic outlook on the potential of the humanoid robot, touting it as a groundbreaking product in the making.
Tesla unveiled plans for the humanoid robot in 2021, initially focusing on automating mundane and hazardous tasks to enhance workplace efficiency.
Image Credit: Tangible Future