A disembodied head from 1X's humanoid robot Neo operated a television and navigated an Apple TV interface in a home setting, according to a video posted by 1X chief designer Dar Sleeper on X over the weekend of November 1–22.
In the clip, the Neo head sits on a fireplace mantel above a stack of books, with a spare face shell beside it. Someone in the room asks it to pick a movie; the TV wakes up, the Apple TV interface begins moving, text is typed into search, and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring starts playing — all without hands, a body, or a remote control.
Sleeper described the setup as teammates who do not yet have full Neo units using factory-defect heads to get a head start on integrating their homes. Several 1X employees and insiders have had Neo units in their homes, according to Forbes.
Neo carries cameras, microphones, a speaker, an internet connection, and an onboard AI system capable of understanding speech.
ANALYSIS The demo suggests that Neo's sensor and connectivity stack can function independently of its body, opening a potential second use case as a stationary smart-home controller rather than solely a mobile humanoid.
Forbes noted that a conventional smart speaker could perform a similar task and that the demo is likely an engineer experimenting with hardware informally.
1X's humanoid robot Neo is not yet officially in customers' homes, though CEO Bernt Børnich has said at least some units will reach customers this calendar year. Pre-launch pricing puts Neo at $20,000 to purchase or $499 per month to rent. 1X has said early owners will teach Neo new tasks, with remote teleoperators potentially assisting on unfamiliar chores with the owner's permission. The company has also said Neo will remember birthdays, help with scheduling, and retain conversations and requests.