1X opens pre-orders for $20,000 NEO humanoid home robot

1X has opened pre-orders for the NEO humanoid AI home robot to the relief of tired moms around the world. The 5-foot 6-inch (1.68 m) robot was unveiled in 2024.

The robot utilizes the Tendon Drive, a locomotion system with tendon-based transmission coupled to high-torque motors, inside a body wrapped with a protective layer of 3D polymer cushioning and wearing a turtleneck, making it safer around people, according to the company.

Powerful motors allow the NEO to carry laundry to the washer and food to the fridge weighing up to 55 pounds (24.95 kg) while generating 22 dB of motor noise, says 1X. Two 8 MP cameras along with four 360-degree microphones and three speakers allow NEO to see, hear, and speak with its owners.

The AI robot remembers all conversations and can go online to find answers to questions thanks to its Nvidia Jetson Thor platform. NEO can converse with owners, complete common house chores like doing the laundry or cleaning up the kitchen, and with the remote assistance of human 1X Experts, learn to do chores the robot has never been trained for.

The 66-pound (29.94 kg) NEO robot can walk about the house to autonomously complete chores thanks to its hands with 22 degrees of freedom. Thanks to its 5G wireless connectivity, NEO can be used indoors and outdoors in dry weather. The humanoid can operate up to four hours by an internal 0.75 kWh battery pack, and the robot will automatically dock itself to the charger when the battery level is low.

The 1X NEO humanoid AI home robot can be pre-ordered with a $200 deposit. Interested readers can choose between a one-time $20,000 purchase or a $499 monthly subscription. Deliveries are scheduled for 2026.

NEO has not yet reached the point of full autonomy such as the robot in Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, so readers worried about a Terminator causing havoc at home can relax...for now.