Stanisland Magazine

1X Technologies’ NEO AI robot may cause more problems than it’s worth, despite its advanced home automation technology

Tech startup, 1X, has launched their first product, ‘Neo‘, a humanoid robot with the ability to carry out chores on your behalf. Its technology aims to lessen the load for everyday people, but many internet users have expressed alarm regarding the risk of its use within the home, especially with the elderly. However, it’s not as “autonomous” as they claim it to be.

What can it do?

Neo is designed to carry out tasks many find draining. The company has specified that it can organise shelves, open doors, and retrieve items. Potentially, this means it could be programmed to carry out high-risk jobs.

Its advanced LLM (large language model), is built to recognise both visual and audio inputs and to reply. This means it will understand when it is being spoken to and can identify what it sees in front of it.

The company behind it, 1x, says its soft body and neutral colour aesthetics help it blend into the home, with a quiet operation to prevent audible intrusion.

The Down Side

Neo is made of a soft fabric, a little like a knit suit — this already makes it less fit for purpose. While I understand it is meant for the home, there are some considerations.

If it does venture outside, it’s going to collect microbes and plant matter. This isn’t necessarily a good way to prevent the spread of viruses and mould. Fabric is not a suitable option unless it can be washed regularly. Even then, you’re going to wear down the materials it is clothed in.

Scrubbing toilets: this robot may not kill you with its bare hands, but it could trigger your immune system by spreading fecal matter around the home. Unless it can wash its hands — which it doesn’t appear to be able to — by the time you return home, your robotic friend will have spread your number two all over your bedroom walls.

Fabrics absorb dirt, dust, spills, and microbes — so for a $20,000 purchase, I would have expected 1X to have considered such an obvious design flaw.

What People are Saying

One user on Reddit said: Having a robot with … cameras & mics all combined with a body in my house that records me 24/7 is just a no‑go for me.”

Despite the company’s claims, they continue to sell their product as a truly independent operational machine. Another sleuth remarked:

“NEO is built for full autonomy. Early Access offers foundational autonomy, and with continued use, NEO learns and unlocks new capabilities.”

Users were quick to jump onto that fact, saying: “As long as it’s being operated remotely, it’s not really a home robot doing chores by itself,” and “It’s not autonomous, it’s literally being controlled by a guy with a VR headset in another room.”

Others were sceptical of the cost: “It’s cheaper because, it’s still teleoperated most of the time, and you’re basically used to farm training data.”