The NEO home robot has officially been unveiled by California-based tech company 1X, marking what the firm calls “the world’s first consumer-ready humanoid robot designed to transform life at home.”
The robot is built to handle household chores, provide personal assistance, and even learn new skills through artificial intelligence (AI).
According to 1X Technologies, NEO is a 1.7-metre (5-foot-6-inch) humanoid robot that can fold laundry, open doors, tidy up spaces, and even prepare grocery lists.
It is designed to automate everyday home tasks and offer natural, conversational assistance using its built-in AI language model.
“Humanoids were long a thing of sci-fi… then they were a thing of research, but today—with the launch of NEO—humanoid robots become a product,” said 1X founder and CEO Bernt Børnich.
“NEO closes the gap between imagination and reality, where we can actually ask a humanoid robot for help—and help is granted” .
The company says NEO combines voice, vision, and memory systems that allow it to understand its surroundings, recall past interactions, and improve over time.
Using Audio and Visual Intelligence, the robot can recognise when someone is speaking to it and respond only when appropriate. It can even identify objects on a kitchen counter and suggest recipes based on available ingredients.
NEO also features a “Chores” mode, where users can assign tasks and set completion times.
If NEO encounters a task it doesn’t understand, users can schedule a session with a 1X Expert—an online human operator who remotely guides the robot through the task while teaching it in the process.
The hardware powering NEO includes 22 degrees of freedom in its hands—matching human dexterity—and a soft body built from 3D lattice polymer material.
At just under 30 kilograms, the robot can lift more than twice its weight while operating at a quiet 22 decibels, softer than a refrigerator hum. It supports WiFi, Bluetooth, and 5G connectivity and is equipped with internal speakers, transforming it into a mobile smart assistant or entertainment system.
However, as The Wall Street Journal notes, early testers discovered that the robot still has limitations.
In a trial demonstration at the company’s Palo Alto facility, the NEO successfully stacked dishes, wiped counters, and fetched a water bottle, but it stumbled slightly when folding a sweater and needed remote human assistance through a virtual reality interface.
“It’s not for everyone,” Børnich told WSJ, adding that NEO relies on occasional human oversight for complex tasks until it learns independently.
“If we don’t have your data, we can’t make the product better,” he said .
1X has begun accepting pre-orders for the NEO home robot through its official website, with deliveries expected to start in the United States in 2026.
Early adopters can purchase the robot for $20,000 (about R370,000) or opt for a $499 (R9,200) monthly subscription plan.
The company plans to expand shipments to international markets, including South Africa, in 2027 .
The company says NEO represents the next major step in home automation, blending AI and robotics into a single system designed to “free up both time and mental space” for users.
With each software update, NEO will gain new capabilities, such as managing schedules, assisting with education, and learning more household routines.
