Friendly home robots have been a long-standing sci-fi dream, but real-world robots have struggled with the dexterity needed for everyday tasks like opening doors, carrying fragile objects, or plugging themselves in. 1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft robot companion, Neo, bringing human-like manipulation closer to reality.
The 1X Neo's Dexterous Hands
According to 1X, the hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons move human hands. This gives Neo's hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement — just two less than the 27 degrees human hands typically have. Cameras and AI help the robot understand the context of what it is trying to grasp. The hands can grip odd shapes, detect when something is slipping, and move extremely quickly, with fingers that can hyperextend in ways human digits cannot. They also carry an IP68 waterproof rating, allowing the robot to wash its own hands.
Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, said the range of motion might even surpass a human’s, enabling Neo to open doors, lift heavy objects, and plug itself in when its battery runs low. “You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth said. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”
Teleoperation and Privacy Concerns
1X says the goal is full automation for Neo, but currently the robot is partly teleoperated. A feature called Expert Mode allows human operators to take control of Neo remotely and view its surroundings through its camera. This enables handling of more complicated chores by bringing a human into the loop. However, it also means that if the robot is in a home, the operator can see everything around it.
The marketing for Neo’s new hands has taken a notably sensual tone, with smooth jazz in a softly lit video showing the robot’s fingers curling around a wine glass, turning off a light, unzipping a jacket, and fondling grapes. Dar Sleeper, 1X’s vice president of product and design, describes the robot’s design as inspired by characters like Baymax from Disney’s Big Hero 6 — a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. “We love this idea that a robot can be this peaceful and fun and goofy safe presence in a life,” Sleeper said. “Something that feels comfortable to be around, something that's soft from the inside to the outside.”
Pricing and Availability
Early access pricing for the Neo robot is $20,000 or $500 per month for home use. The lump-sum payment prioritizes delivery for 2026. 1X is positioning Neo differently from the hulking, defense-contract humanoids that dominate the market, aiming instead for a friendly helper for menial daily tasks and boring office chores.
A Different Approach to Humanoid Robots
The humanoid robot market has been dominated by tough, industrial bots, but 1X is taking a softer tack. The combination of dexterous hands, AI, and teleoperation represents what the source calls a “ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics,” where bots have evolved from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers. While the Neo is not yet fully autonomous, its advanced hand design and teleoperation feature make it a notable step toward practical household and office robots.
Sources:
