PREVIEW

A humanoid helper will soon be able to perform chores around your home and carry your groceries.

1X Technologies has unveiled a prototype of its latest robot, NEO Beta, designed to assist users around the home. The company, with headquarters in Norway and San Francisco, is renowned for its collaboration with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT.

The humanoid robot stands slightly over 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 66 pounds, capable of carrying up to 44 pounds. Despite its lightweight frame, NEO can walk at human-like speeds, covering 2.5 miles per hour and sprinting up to 7.5 miles per hour. It operates efficiently with a battery life lasting between two to four hours on a full charge.

In promotional materials, NEO is showcased performing everyday activities; it lifts a bag for a person, waves to the camera, and shares a human-like embrace.

The company's ambition is reflected in its commitment to "create an abundant supply of labour via safe, intelligent robots," and this ethos is a driving force behind NEO's development. CEO Bernt Børnich has emphasised safety as a core value guiding the gradual deployment of the robots. Initially, a limited number will be introduced to gather real-world operational data, with plans to significantly expand production to "hundreds of thousands" by 2027 and "millions" by 2028.

The pricing of NEO is anticipated to be in the range of a "relatively affordable car," although exact figures have yet to be disclosed. The potential success of NEO largely hinges on its affordability.

1X, previously known as Halodi Robotics and established over ten years ago, focuses on crafting general-purpose bipedal robots. The company secured $100 million in Series B funding earlier this year, with contributions from tech heavyweights including Samsung. This funding boost supports the integration of AI functions into its robots, a project that began in partnership with OpenAI in 2022.

"We believe that to serve our world, humanoids need to experience our world," 1X states, explaining their philosophy of merging biology with robotics to enhance their products, which are "inspired by human nature, inside and out."