Neo Beta Humanoid Revealed Ahead of Limited Household Release
1X
In February, Norway’s 1X showcased its progress with Eve, a pick-and-place workplace humanoid. Now, the OpenAI-backed company has released video footage of its newest prototype, a bipedal butlerbot called Neo Beta.
Eve doesn’t walk on two legs but moves on wheels at speeds up to 9 mph (14.5 km/h). Instead of human-like hands, it uses claws for repetitive tasks. Its egg-shaped head features a simple LED matrix face that conceals the AI-powered intelligence within. However, given its likely role in future manufacturing lines, these design choices are practical and effective.
Bipedal Design Leads the Way in Butlerbot Development
In the realm of designing general-purpose humanoids for home use, a bipedal design appears to be the preferred choice in advanced butlerbot development. This holds true for 1X as well, with the official introduction of the Neo Beta (though it did have a prior appearance in March alongside NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang).
Though the video is brief and doesn’t showcase the humanoid helper performing numerous household tasks like other promos, it reveals some key details. The Neo Beta bot sports a sleek fabric jumpsuit that conceals its “muscle-like anatomy” and has an oblong face displaying multi-line animations. Its dexterous five-digit hands, more robotic than human, are clearly designed for grasping and holding a variety of objects.
Uncertainty Surrounds Neo Beta’s Actions, but Embodied Learning Promises Ongoing Improvement
Unlike previous demos, 1X hasn’t specified whether the limited tasks shown are the result of teleoperation, carefully choreographed routines, or fully autonomous actions. However, the product page does note that Neo uses a combination of robotics and AI, referred to as embodied learning, to master various domestic duties and promises that the robot will “become smarter and more capable over time.”
1X
Users will interact with Neo using natural spoken language, and it’s being designed to understand its physical surroundings to carry out “real tasks throughout your workplace and your world.” The company also mentions that, if necessary, a remote human operator can take over the humanoid’s vision and movement.
A post on X by Jason Carman for the S3 online docuseries gives us more insight into the Neo project and its current development stage. The 1X CEO also suggests that the cost of a production unit will be comparable to that of “a relatively affordable car.“
Key Specifications and Performance Details Revealed
According to the specs on the product page, Neo stands 5.41 ft (1.65 m) tall—slightly shorter than Eve—and weighs 66 lb (30 kg). It can carry up to 44 lb (20 kg) of household items, groceries, or other objects. While it can run at speeds of up to 7.5 mph (12 km/h), it will typically walk at speeds of up to 2.5 mph (4 km/h). Its onboard batteries provide between two and four hours of operation per charge. More details are expected as the project progresses.
1X has announced that Neo is being developed for mass production at its factory in Moss, Norway. However, the company has not confirmed whether the Eve humanoid will assist with the assembly. As the name suggests, the project is currently in the beta stage, but you can sign up for a waitlist, and 1X will keep you updated on availability.
“Our top priority is safety,” stated 1X CEO, Bernt Børnich. “Safety is the foundation that enables us to introduce Neo Beta into homes with confidence. In these real-world settings, it will collect crucial feedback and showcase its abilities. This year, we’re placing a limited number of Neo units in selected homes for research and development. This marks another step forward in fulfilling our mission.”
Read the original article on: New Atlas
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