Bernt Børnich, CEO of 1X Technologies, explains why the company designed its Neo humanoid for homes and discusses its capabilities, pricing, teleoperation, safety, and path toward autonomy with Wall Street Journal host Joanna Stern.
Børnich argues that homes and public spaces are built for people, so a human-shaped robot can work in them without waiting for major infrastructure changes. He says the goal is a general-purpose machine that can be safe, capable, and affordable at scale. Neo uses lightweight motors and tendon-like mechanisms to move quietly and with less energy.
Børnich says early customers in 2026 should expect useful but imperfect performance as the product develops. Neo's early adopter program is priced at $20,000 upfront or a $499 monthly subscription. At his home, it vacuums under furniture, tidies, cleans, and handles some laundry; he estimates it saves him about 30 minutes a day.
Neo combines camera vision, directional audio, joint force sensing, and tactile sensors in its hands to perceive and act. Børnich says it can open a door autonomously, while harder tasks, such as unloading a dishwasher, may need voice guidance or a remote operator. He describes controls including customer approval for remote access, home no-go zones, optional blurring, and customer-managed access to specific video data.
Børnich says Neo weighs 66 pounds and is designed with soft surfaces and limits on motion energy. He describes operator oversight, separate safety systems for AI, a physical safety switch, a stop word, and restrictions on handling dangerous objects. Customers can also block rooms or set hours when Neo cannot enter; some uses, such as walking a dog in public, still require further work.
Børnich frames robots as tools that can help people get more done, with humans guiding the system when it struggles. He connects that role to supporting an aging population and improving quality of life. Looking ahead, he sees robots learning in varied, social home environments and helping people maintain independence.
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