Norwegian-American robotics firm 1X Technologies has offered a glimpse into what scaled humanoid robot production looks like, and it’s surprisingly circular. In a newly released demo, its Neo robot is shown assisting humans on the factory floor, helping build more Neo units as the company moves toward full-scale manufacturing.
Robots helping build more robots
At the center of the demo is 1X’s Neo humanoid robot, a bipedal machine designed primarily for domestic environments that is now stepping into early manufacturing workflows. The footage shows Neo performing repetitive, assistive tasks alongside human workers, effectively becoming part of the assembly process.
The setup shows how 1X is approaching production at its Neo Factory, where robots are involved in close collaboration with humans. The company has also emphasized a vertically integrated model that involves designing and manufacturing core components in-house, including motors, batteries, sensors, and structural parts.
This end-to-end control allows 1X to iterate quickly on both hardware and manufacturing processes, while scaling output as demand grows. The factory has already begun full-scale production, with plans to deliver thousands of units following strong early interest and pre-orders.
Scaling a still-evolving product
Despite the polished demo, Neo remains a work in progress. The robot is designed to operate autonomously, but it’s not quite there yet. So 1X is relying on guided assistance from human operators to supervise and help the robot complete unfamiliar tasks, which also enables it to learn over time.
This learning loop is central to how Neo improves, combining real-world deployment with continuous training. Early versions are expected to expand their capabilities gradually as they gain more experience in both factory and home environments.
With production now underway, 1X is effectively turning Neo into both the product and part of the process. If this model is successful, future iterations may not just assist humans in daily life but also play a direct role in building the next generation of 1X robots.
