A Palo Alto company unveiled a new humanoid robot last week that the company claims can offer cutting-edge technology in automated housekeeping chores.
The Neo, produced by 1X Technologies, is said to be the first “consumer available humanoid robot, specialized in working on house chores.” Showcased in a 10-minute-long trailer, the robot appears capable of folding clothes, cleaning, and washing dishes on its own.
Specs-wise, it's a 66-pound, 5 feet, 6 inches tall robot with 4 hours of battery life, fast charging, and the ability to connect to the charger in the house when needed. 1X Technologies confirmed that Neo is available for preorder at $20,000 or a subscription fee of $500 a month, with deliveries arriving in the US sometime in 2026
The video also shows how the machine can be controlled via voice commands or an app, allowing for the establishment of routines and remote control of the robot while away from home.
1X Technologies claims that this would allow the robot to do chores while its owners are working outside, without the need for constant control over what it is doing.
Neo’s humanoid robot's main issue: AI
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee called what 1X Technologies is doing a “really clever way of showing its capabilities without breaking the dream of an AI power housekeeper robot.”
However, Brownlee perceived a potential issue that the Neo has that might not be resolved by the time the product ships in 2026. He commented that Neo's AI model isn’t advanced enough to perform chores independently, and it requires a “human supervisor” to perform most tasks.
The only two fully autonomous tasks it was shown doing, in what many say was a “really clunky way,” were opening doors for guests and taking a plastic cup away to clean it.
The rest of the tasks require a human to control the robot, partially or fully, something that 1X Technologies said must be pre-booked via the app, he argued.
“My issue with this product is the gap between what it's actually capable of doing today, and what they are promising as they take their money today,” he said on a video review of the unveiling of the Neo.
“And then, like with self-driving cars, there is a number of things that can be dangerous if the robot does them wrong, like giving medications or dropping something made of glass,” Brownlee added.
In another demo, shared by tech journalist Joanna Stern for The Wall Street Journal, an operator handles most tasks, from cleaning a dishwasher to folding clothes.