Home robots are capable of walking. The challenging aspect is preventing them from damaging your glassware.

      1X's NEO utilizes tactile sensing and force control to manage delicate items, addressing tasks that humanoid robots still find challenging to perform.

      A robot might appear convincing as it moves across a stage but still be ineffective in a kitchen setting. Successfully lifting a wet glass requires precision, quick adjustments, and a careful touch to avoid applying too much pressure. 1X is addressing this issue with new tendon-driven hands for its humanoid robot, NEO.

      According to 1X, each hand features 25 degrees of freedom, comprising 22 in the fingers and palm, plus an additional three in the wrist. The joints can flex under pressure rather than remaining rigid, enhancing NEO's ability to handle household items without treating every contact as a challenge.

      Explaining why delicate tasks reveal poor handling abilities

      NEO's tactile skin can sense pressure and lateral movement across its fingers, which helps it detect when an object starts to slip and adjust its grip to prevent dropping it.

      1X Technologies

      Force control is equally essential as the movement of the fingers. Household items vary in shape and weight unpredictably, unlike factory grippers that work with precisely placed objects. NEO's tendon system is intended to adjust naturally and does not approach every task as if it were repeatedly moving the same cardboard box.

      This level of control could determine whether a humanoid robot can manage dishes or laundry without needing constant supervision.

      Why adaptability is preferable to brute strength

      NEO's fingers can bend beyond typical human ranges and can conform to irregular shapes. Its backdrivable joints yield during unexpected contact, rather than forcing through it.

      1X ranks the hands as IP68 and claims they are made from food-safe materials. These are practical features for a device expected to operate near sinks, spills, and dining ware. While rapid finger movement might make for an impressive demonstration, waterproofing and regulated force will be more crucial in a real home environment.

      1X Technologies

      The physical design appears suitable for household tasks, but the software still must validate its capability to utilize those hands effectively.

      What remains unproven in demonstrations

      Having advanced hands doesn’t automatically translate to effective chores. NEO still needs to recognize an item, select the correct grip, and perform the task repeatedly in a cluttered environment, without prior arrangement.

      A successful pick-up showcases the hardware’s capabilities under controlled conditions. Effective home automation requires the robot to replicate that success when items are displaced, wet, or partially hidden.

      The next significant demonstration should avoid superfluous finger drumming. NEO must complete a typical household task autonomously, from beginning to end, for one polished clip to serve as evidence of a finished product.

      Paulo Vargas is an English major turned journalist turned technical writer, with a career that consistently circles back to...

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