Teleop, not autonomy, is the path for 1X’s Neo humanoid

1X Technologies’ NEO humanoid robot boasts an impressive design and strong teleoperation capabilities but currently falls short of achieving full autonomy, especially in complex household tasks like laundry or cleaning. Such chores remain beyond reach due to the unpredictable, cluttered, and highly variable nature of home environments, which pose significant challenges for robots—particularly humanoids with legs. While humanoid robots are beginning to find practical applications in structured industrial settings, the home remains a difficult environment for autonomous operation. Demonstrations of NEO’s abilities are limited to scripted, partial tasks rather than reliable, end-to-end autonomous performance. The article argues that instead of focusing solely on autonomy, 1X should leverage teleoperation as a practical and transformative path forward. By positioning NEO as a remotely operated platform, humans could provide the cognitive control while the robot acts as a physical proxy, enabling services like remote cleaning or eldercare. Although teleoperation raises privacy concerns due to cameras and sensors in private spaces, transparency, operator anonymity,