OpenAI-Backed Domestic Humanoid Robot Gets Closer to Reality With $100M Funding

Norwegian AI robotics startup 1X Technologies AS has secured $100M in its Series B funding for the development of domestic humanoid robots. The funds will go towards the company’s second-generation android robot Neo, bringing it closer to reality.

The once-distant dream of having a versatile, intelligent home assistant is now becoming a reality.1X CEO, Bernt Øivind Børnich

From cleaning to laundry, Neo is designed to help households with a variety of tasks.

What Makes the Project So Special?

AI and robotics have been making headlines throughout the last year, with tech giants locked in a race to leverage artificial intelligence for a variety of functions. However, despite being a relatively lesser-known player in the tech world, 1X has garnered a lot of attention with Neo. Indeed, the innovative bipedal robot promises to bring a lot to the table.

Neo’s dexterous hands are capable of lifting a load of 75 kg while squatting or deadlifting.

Designed to assist with a variety of household tasks, Neo will be operating independently. Its embodied AI would enable Android to perform most functions autonomously. However, the robot initially relies on external cloud-based models such as those offered by OpenAI for long-term planning and reasoning.

While this means that Neo’s functionalities would be reduced without cloud connectivity, a standard internet connection is all the cloud interaction takes. Additionally, users can also gain manual control and move the robot using controllers and VR headsets.

The startup’s current-generation Android Eve is designed for enterprise applications. Rolled out last year, the robot is primarily assigned to logistics and guarding tasks. Neo, however, is a far more ambitious project. This second-generation general-purpose robot is being built to serve as an intelligent assistant for everyday household tasks.

Neo is significantly different from Eve, with many human-like attributes. The 165 cm tall bipedal robot boasts a similar range of motion as humans.

However, Børnich highlighted that the biggest difference between Neo and an industrial robot is that the former is “soft like us, light and inherently safe”.

The second-generation robot is devoid of pinch-points and other hazards associated with industrial-grade robots, he added.

The embodied AI system that powers the robot’s operations allows it to learn new skills through interaction with its environment. Users can also chat with it – a function that Børnich compared to ChatGPT.

In this regard, it’s worth noting that ChatGPT was one of 1X’s biggest investors in its Series A funding last year, which raised $23.5 million.

A Potentially Bright Future Ahead for Neo

The Series B round injected the startup with $100M of funds, giving the Neo project a major boost. The investors include EQT, a Venture Capital firm that has supported startups such as Einride and Varjo in the past.

Ted Persson, a partner at EQT, agreed that the prospect of getting Android to meet labor requirements seems to be moving from a distant dream to something that might actually be achieved in the next 5-7 years. Other investors in this round included Sandwater, Nistad Group, Skagerak Capital, and Samsung NEXT.

Indeed, with an extra $100M to pour into the project, Neo is getting closer to completion. Though the 1X CEO did not specify a launch date, he did state that preorders for the robot are expected to open shortly.

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