SAY HELLO
American consumers first to get real-life home helper in NEO humanoid robot & can preorder one now to ‘redefine life’
NEO is designed to handle household tasks such as folding laundry, tidying rooms, organizing shelves
Arshi Qureshi , Freelance Digital Reporter
Published: 11:20, 29 Oct 2025
A FUTURISTIC home helper is no longer a sci-fi dream – American consumers can now order the first humanoid robot designed to work inside the house.
NEO, built by robotics firm 1X, has officially opened preorders, promising to take on chores and serve as a personalized assistant.
American consumers can now preorder NEO, a $20,000 humanoid robot from 1XCredit: 1X
It promises to handle household chores and personal assistance starting in 2026Credit: 1X
The company, based in Palo Alto, says the first unit will ship in 2026, with early customers paying either $20,000 upfront or $499 per month.
CEO and founder, 1X, Bernt Børnich, called the launch a historic moment.
“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,” he said.
Børnich added that the robot “closes the gap between our imaginations and the world we live in, to the point where we can actually ask a humanoid robot for help, and help is granted.”
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NEO is designed to handle household tasks such as folding laundry, tidying rooms, organizing shelves, and even fetching items.
It can follow a schedule set through an app or respond to commands in real time while owners relax nearby.
For chores it doesn’t yet recognize, owners can hire 1X Expert to remotely guide the robot, teaching it new skills in the process.
Built with a large language model, NEO can hold conversations, recall context, and provide personalized assistance without relying on screens.
Its audio system helps it recognize when it’s being addressed, while visual intelligence lets it identify objects and suggest uses, like spotting food ingredients and recommending recipes.
The bot also comes with memory, allowing it to track long-term tasks such as birthdays, shopping lists, and lesson progress.
From the start, it will be able to perform basics like opening doors, switching off lights, and welcoming guests, with more capabilities added through software updates.
At just 66 pounds, NEO is deliberately lightweight for safety, yet it can carry 55 pounds and lift up to 154.
Its tendon-driven motors mimic human reduce risks to people, pets, and objects in the home.
The robot has 22 degrees of freedom in its hands for dexterity and a soft polymer body that makes it approachable and safe indoors.
NEO – the humanoid robot for your home
Launch: Preorders open now, first deliveries in 2026
Price: $20,000 upfront or $499/month subscription (6-month minimum)
Made by: 1X Technologies, Palo Alto
Weight: 66 pounds, can lift 154 lbs and carry 55 lbs
Features: Folds laundry, organizes shelves, fetches items, opens doors, switches off lights
Tech: Large language model for conversation, memory for tasks, audio & visual intelligence for context
Design: Soft knit suit, neutral colors (tan, gray, dark brown), quiet at 22dB
Safety: Tendon-driven motors for gentle movement, soft polymer body, avoids hot, sharp, or heavy objects
Privacy tradeoff: Remote operators can guide NEO through cameras with user approval
Availability: US. first, expanding worldwide in 2027
With noise levels of just 22 decibels, it’s quieter than a refrigerator.
Connectivity is built in, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G, while a three-stage speaker doubles as a mobile entertainment system.
NEO’s design is intentionally neutral and domestic, coming in tan, gray, or dark brown with a soft knit suit and shoes to blend into living spaces.
But there is a hidden cost – privacy.
Early adopters must agree to let vetted operators access camera feeds when guiding NEO through tasks.
Børnich admitted to the Wall Street Journal that this “social contract” is not for everyone.
“If we don’t have your data, we can’t make the product better,” he said.
Guardrails exist, including no-go zones, blurred faces, and operators approval controls.
Videos used for training will not be accessible without user consent, according to the company.
NEO won’t handle anything sharp, hot, or overly heavy for safety reasons.
Children in the home also rule out early adoption.
According to WSJ, the robot has already shown off skills like grabbing water bottles, loading dishwashers, and folding sweaters, albeit clumsily.
Børnich described the early stage as “robotics slop,” useful but imperfect, and promised dramatic improvements as data collection grows.
He said the goal is for NEO to “do most of the things in your home autonomously” by 2026.
NEO is designed to handle household tasks such as folding laundry, tidying rooms, organizing shelvesCredit: 1X
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