Robotics Special: 1X's NEO hits the market

Welcome back, Superhuman. It’s finally happening. The world’s first consumer-ready humanoid robot has hit the market and is all set to help out with your chores — but it doesn’t quite come alone. Meanwhile, San Francisco is bracing for a major robotaxi showdown.

WHAT’S NEXT

The most important news and breakthroughs in robotics this week

1. 1X’s NEO finally hits the market: California-based robotics startup 1X has opened up preorders for NEO, a humanoid home robot priced at $20,000. Designed to tackle household chores, the robot can fetch items, organize shelves, and fold laundry — though some tasks require remote human operators to puppeteer the robot.

• The hype around NEO has been unreal. Our social feeds have been flooded with videos and memes — all racking up hundreds of thousands of views.

• But not everyone’s sold — privacy concerns are mounting over letting a teleoperated robot inside the home. Some users think that as of today, NEO simply isn’t worth the $20K price tag.

• While early capabilities are modest, NEO is the first real attempt to deliver on what Morgan Stanley projects will be a $5T market by 2050. It’s set to ship in 2026.

2. Uber plans to roll into Waymo's backyard: The ride-hailing company has announced plans to launch a premium robotaxi service in San Francisco in 2026. This puts Uber on a direct collision course (metaphorically speaking) with Waymo on the latter’s home turf — a bold move considering the companies had patched things up after a 2018 trade secrets lawsuit and have even partnered on robotaxi services in Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta.

3. Nike’s new robotic shoes can turn running into a cakewalk: The sportswear giant has unveiled Project Amplify, the world’s first powered running system. Nike claims that the shoes target recreational runners in the 10-12 minute mile range, essentially working as a "second set of calf muscles" that makes uphill running feel like flat ground. Don't expect to lace up a pair soon, though, as a broad consumer launch is still years away.

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ROBOTS IN ACTION

How robots are transforming the world around us

🐙 Walking Wheels: Toyota just unveiled the "Walk Me," an autonomous wheelchair that uses tentacle-like legs to climb stairs and sit on the floor. The robot potentially addresses critical mobility challenges in Japan, where nearly 29% of the population is over the age of 65. Videos of the innovative concept are blowing up on social media.

🗣️ Pitch Perfect: McGill University scientists have developed a tiny bioprinting robot that can deliver hydrogels directly to damaged vocal cords during surgery. The palm-sized robot helps surgeons precisely reconstruct delicate vocal tissues in real-time. The team is now gearing up for animal testing before moving toward human clinical trials.

🏋️ Need a Lift: Engineers have developed PASE, a soft robotic exoskeleton that can slash muscle activity by up to 22%, reducing perceived physical workload during industrial tasks. The device could potentially make a major dent in the annual cost of musculoskeletal disorders that account for nearly 30% of all workplace injuries in the US.

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

Everything else you need to know this week

Here are the biggest developments in the robotics space that you should know about:

• iRobot shares fell 33% after the Roomba maker revealed that its last potential buyer walked away from a deal, leaving it without viable acquisition prospects.

• AgiBot, the Chinese robotics company, unveiled LinkCraft, a zero-code platform that turns simple videos of your movements into lifelike humanoid actions.

• NVIDIA has teamed up with Uber to deploy a fleet of 100K robotaxis starting in 2027, powered by NVIDIA's DRIVE AGX Hyperion 10 platform.

• The Bot Company, co-founded by Cruise creator Kyle Vogt, is reportedly closing a $250M funding round, doubling the startup’s valuation to $4B.

• Samsung SDI wants to supply batteries to robot companies, aiming to diversify its revenue stream to cushion itself from US tariffs and sluggish EV demand.

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ROBOT OF THE WEEK

A robot that caught our eye this week

Enabot's EBO Air 2 FamilyBot is a 2K-equipped mobile camera that roams your home on tank-like treads, offering remote monitoring, two-way communication, and a built-in laser toy to keep your pets entertained while you're away.

You can check it out here.

ROBO REEL

Watch: Humanoid robot pulls car 20x its weight in stunning power move

Who needs a tow truck when you’ve got a Unitree G1?

Beijing researchers showed off a Unitree G1 humanoid hauling a 3,086-pound vehicle across a parking lot. The video has blown up on X, leaving social media users stunned at the feat of strength. But not everyone is impressed. The video has sparked debate online, with some questioning whether the demo was staged (noting a driver in the car).

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Until next time,

Zain and the Superhuman AI team