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Tesla Optimus next-gen hand moving actuators to forearm, targeting 22 DOF to match human capability
“The next generation Optimus hand which we have in prototype form the actuators have moved to the forearm just like a human and they operate the fingers through cables just like the human hand. And then the next generation hand has 22 degrees of freedom um which we think is enough to do almost anything that a human can do.”
Why it matters
This reveals a fundamental design shift in Tesla's humanoid robotics that could impact which suppliers win contracts for actuators, cables, and precision mechanical components. The move from hand-mounted to forearm-mounted actuators signals a new architecture phase requiring different sourcing and manufacturing capabilities.
Investment implication
Suppliers of precision linear actuators, cable systems, and forearm mechanical assemblies for humanoid robots may see increased demand from Tesla. Companies specializing in tendon-driven or cable-driven robotic systems could become critical to Optimus production scale-up.