Norwegian robotics company 1X recently announced the NEO Gamma, an AI-powered bipedal humanoid robot that can perform multiple household chores, such as carrying laundry, cleaning windows, and vacuuming.

We’ve seen some important breakthroughs in robotics over the last few months, including STAR1, the world’s fastest bipedal robot, or SE01, a bipedal robot famous for its smooth walking, but in terms of day-to-day utility, the offerings have been lacking. But that is all about to change according to Norwegian Robotics company 1X and its most advanced creation yet, the NEO Gamma, a humanoid butler capable of performing various household chores like cleaning vacuuming, and even serving tea. To make it seem more human, the company teamed up with Shima Seiki, a Japanese manufacturer of knitting machines, to create a soft and smooth suit that conceals the robot’s metallic body.

According to 1X, the recently unveiled NEO Gamma can perform a variety of actions, like crouching down to pick up objects off the ground, sitting in a chair, arranging crooked objects around the house, and even pouring tea in a cup. Apparently, the company uses human motion capture data to train the robot to perform various movements in a more human-like manner.

If you’re going to have a robotic companion with you in the house every day, noise is a big factor, so 1X needed to ensure that the NEO Gamma was as quiet as possible. Thanks to a drive system modeled after human tendons, the humanoid robot’s actions only generate 10 Db, making it about as quiet as a modern refrigerator.

Thanks to its advanced AI component, the 1X can function autonomously, but thanks to four built-in microphones, it is very responsive to commands by its human users. It can also respond and carry out simple conversations, or play music via a speaker in its pelvic area.

“In the near future, we will all have our own household robots like Rosie or Baymax,” 1X CEO Bernd Bornig said. “But for humanoid robots to truly become part of everyday life, they must be developed together with humans – they cannot be developed alone. We look forward to sharing more details on NEO Gamma soon.”

 

Following the recent controversy surrounding one of China’s most popular humanoid robots who appeared to malfunction and act aggressively around humans, it will be interesting to see how many people will welcome robotic butlers like the NEO Gamma in their homes.