It stands 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs about as much as a golden retriever and costs near the price of a brand-new budget car.
This is Neo, the humanoid robot. It's billed as a personal assistant you can talk to and eventually rely on to take care of everyday tasks, such as loading the dishwasher and folding laundry.
Neo doesn't work cheap. It'll cost you $20,000. And even then, you'll still have to train this new home bot, and possibly need a remote assist as well.
If that sounds enticing, preorders are now open (for a mere $200 down). You'll be signing up as an early adopter for what Neo's maker, a California-based company called 1X, is calling a "consumer-ready humanoid." That's opposed to other humanoids under development from the likes of Tesla and Figure, which are, for the moment at least, more focused on factory environments.
Neo is a whole order of magnitude different from robot vacuums like those from Roomba, Eufy and Ecovacs, and embodies a long-running sci-fi fantasy of robot maids and butlers doing chores and picking up after us. If this is the future, read on for more of what's in store.
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What the Neo robot can do around the house
Interested in getting Neo for your home? You can pick from various colors that fit your home decor best. 1X
The pitch from 1X is that Neo can do all manner of household chores: fold laundry, run a vacuum, tidy shelves, bring in the groceries. It can open doors, climb stairs and even act as a home entertainment system.
Neo appears to move smoothly, with a soft, almost human-like gait, thanks to 1X's tendon-driven motor system that gives it gentle motion and impressive strength. The company says it can lift up to 154 pounds and carry 55 pounds, but it is quieter than a refrigerator. It's covered in soft materials and neutral colors, making it look less intimidating than metallic prototypes from other companies.
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