Imagine a future where you can buy a robot to help you with your housework. As recent advances in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) suggest, we are closer to seeing something like this. 1X, a company with its offices and laboratories located between the United States and Norway, has introduced a humanoid robot called NEO Beta.

In this article we are looking at a prototype of an autonomous biped designed for home use. Although it is not the first time that we have seen a project with similar characteristics, 1X has not hesitated to make a promise that can have a significant difference compared to other options: the company has confirmed that it is ready to go beyond conceptual development and begin to expand, ready to test its robot in homes.

A humanoid robot for the home

1X says NEO will be able to help with different household tasks, such as running errands, cleaning or organizing items. The company explains that its robot is human-like in many ways. In addition to moving his shapes around different parts of the house, climbing stairs and opening doors, his hydraulic system can move things slowly or with great force.

This 164cm tall and 29kg stand alone can move up to 19kg. In addition, it has between 2 and 4 hours of autonomy with a full charge. The device has several sensors that drive an AI system. 1X uses what they call "embodied learning." A teleoperator connects to the robot and shows how to do a certain thing to insert the robot.

The NEO should be able to operate autonomously in many scenarios, although the teleoperator can take over at any time if needed. This is exactly where the issue of security comes in. The deployment this year as a prototype test addresses the need to test the technology in real-world environments before embarking on a wider deployment.

The company says the NEO's design anticipates mass manufacturing. This will allow the production of a large number of units to meet a hypothetical global demand. These statements are certainly reminiscent of Elon Musk's, as he envisions a future where almost everyone wants to have their own humanoid robot, although many questions remain unanswered.

It is currently unclear how much this type of unit can do and what its actual capabilities will be. In the demo video posted by 1X we see NEO giving a backpack to a young woman. The footage, for example, showed his robot interacting with humans in natural language and arranging various items. Figure's most advanced units are already working in BMW factories.

NEO Beta

NEO Beta represents a major advance in robotics, moving beyond rigid robots to humanoids with biologically inspired designs that can safely work alongside people. The launch of NEO Beta marks an important milestone for 1X as the company moves from conceptual development to bringing humanoid robots into consumers' homes. In the video posted by the company on its website, NEO shows that it is safe to work between people. The NEO is designed for large-scale production at the company's factory in Moss, Norway.

"Our priority is safety," said Bernt Børnich, CEO of 1X. "Security is the foundation that allows us to confidently enter NEO Beta homes, where it will gather key feedback and demonstrate its capabilities in real-world environments. This year, we are deploying a limited number of NEO units to select homes for research and development. This is taking another step forward. We are here to fulfill our mission."

1X's mission is to create multiple sources of physical labor through intelligent and safe humanoids that work alongside people. To achieve this goal, 1X humanoids must adapt to a variety of environments to be fully capable of performing a wide range of tasks.