The NEO humanoid robot is designed to handle home chores, but it’s not ready to take on the challenges of chores on its own just yet.
California robotics company 1X Technologies just opened pre-orders for NEO, a humanoid robot designed to handle household chores. The catch? It can’t actually do most tasks on its own yet. The 1X Technologies NEO price is $20,000 upfront or $499 per month on a subscription, with deliveries starting in 2026. NEO stands 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs just 66 pounds, and can lift up to 154 pounds while carrying 55 pounds. It runs whisper-quiet at 22 decibels and features 22-degree-of-freedom hands for detailed tasks.
Simple tasks are pre-programmed, but not more complex chores
The NEO humanoid robot can handle some home chores, but not anything that we might consider simple, like folding laundry or doing the dishes. The robot uses a tendon-driven humanoid design system instead of heavy motors, with a soft 3D polymer mesh body designed to be safe around people. When it arrives, NEO will handle basic tasks like opening doors, turning lights on and off, and fetching items through voice commands or the app. But here’s the reality: for complex chores like folding laundry or organizing shelves, a human teleoperator has to control the robot remotely while watching through its cameras. That means you pay $20,000 for a home robot that requires teleoperation for most regular chores.
Human operators required
The CEO admits most tasks performed by this AI household assistant will require human operators in the beginning. This is part of their training strategy. Every time a 1X employee controls the robot to complete a task, that data trains the AI to eventually do it autonomously.
Despite NEO robot privacy concerns, the company is working to ensure these robots don’t cross any privacy barriers set by owners. Owners can schedule when teleoperators can take control, blur people from view, and set no-go zones in their homes. Teleoperators need approval before taking control.
The NEO humanoid robot for home chores is a journey for owners
The company is upfront about this being a journey. Early adopters are paying to be part of the training process while the robot learns. CEO Bernt Børnich told the Wall Street Journal that buyers need to accept this social contract: if 1X doesn’t get your data, they can’t improve the product.
The robot includes built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, 5G, and speakers for conversation using a large language model. It can recognize when you’re talking to it versus someone else in the room. The company raised $100 million in 2024 and has backing from OpenAI and Nvidia. Whether consumers are ready to pay premium prices for a robot that needs human help doing chores remains to be seen.
Your chores done while you are away
If you feel confident in 1X Technologies, the remote-controlled home assistant robot could be a game-changer for you. This robot could handle all of your chores while you’re at work, and you can come home to a clean house every day. This might be worth it for busy people who have a hard time finding time to do some of the chores around their home, such as washing dishes, cleaning the bedroom, cleaning the living room, and other chores. Imagine your home always being clean and welcoming while you enjoy your time at home, instead of doing the tasks that take up a lot of your time.
How do you get a NEO humanoid robot for home chores?
This new robot from 1X Technologies is available for preorder, only requiring a $200 deposit to hold your spot for the robot. It’s expected that the humanoid robot will be part of the 2026 delivery round, meaning the end of home chores could be around the corner. As the consumer list of humanoid robot pre-orders grows, the company will build and create these models to be shipped out next year. Of course, this robot might cost $20,000, but it also requires a subscription to ensure you can have the remote assistance that you need when it’s time to teach the robot to do new tasks and chores.
The world presented to us in The Jetsons cartoon is much closer to a world with a robot meant to handle chores. The NEO humanoid robot, designed for home chores, could be the robot maid you want and need to keep your home tidy and clean while you enjoy your time with family and friends instead of being focused on completing these tasks yourself.
