The landscape of home automation is on the brink of a significant transformation as 1X Technologies, a Norwegian robotics startup, announces plans to commence in-home testing of its advanced humanoid robot, NEO Gamma, by the end of 2025.
This initiative aims to integrate cutting-edge robotics into daily household activities, marking a pivotal step toward the future of smart living.
NEO Gamma: A Leap in Home Robotics
NEO Gamma represents the next generation of humanoid robots meticulously designed for domestic environments. Unlike its industrial counterparts, NEO Gamma is engineered to perform household tasks, provide companionship, and seamlessly blend into daily life. Its minimalist design, complemented by a soft-knit nylon fabric exterior, ensures it integrates harmoniously into various home settings.
Home Testing Initiative
Bernt Børnich, CEO of 1X Technologies, has revealed that the company plans to deploy NEO Gamma into “a few hundred to a few thousand” homes by late 2025. This strategic move is part of an early adopter program aimed at refining the robot’s functionalities through real-world interactions. By living among people, NEO Gamma is expected to learn and adapt, enhancing its ability to perform tasks such as vacuuming, watering plants, and navigating home environments without causing disruptions.
Teleoperation and AI Integration
While NEO Gamma utilizes artificial intelligence for walking and balancing, it is not yet fully autonomous. To facilitate in-home testing, 1X Technologies employs teleoperators—human controllers who can remotely access the robot’s cameras and sensors to guide its movements when necessary. This approach allows for immediate human intervention, ensuring safety and reliability during the testing phase.
Data Collection and Privacy Considerations
The in-home tests are designed to collect valuable data on NEO Gamma’s performance in domestic settings. This data will be instrumental in training in-house AI models, thereby enhancing the robot’s capabilities over time. 1X Technologies acknowledges the importance of privacy and has implemented measures to ensure that customers have control over when and how data is accessed, addressing potential concerns associated with in-home robotics. NEO Gamma
Industry Context and Future Prospects
The initiative by 1X Technologies is part of a broader trend in the robotics industry, with companies like Figure also planning to commence home testing of humanoid robots within the same timeframe. These developments underscore a growing interest in integrating advanced robotics into daily life, potentially revolutionizing how household chores and companionship needs are addressed.
Conclusion
The planned deployment of NEO Gamma into real homes signifies a monumental step toward the widespread adoption of humanoid robots in domestic settings. As 1X Technologies embarks on this ambitious project, the insights gained from these tests are expected to pave the way for more autonomous and capable home assistants soon.
