A new type of hand, 'NEO's Hands,' that moves as freely as human tendons, has been released for the humanoid household robot 'Neo.'



1X Technologies , based in California, USA, has announced ' NEO 's Hands ,' which feature 25 degrees of freedom (DOF) and move like human tendons, for its NEO humanoid robot that helps with household chores. NEO's Hands are said to provide dexterity, strength, safety, and reliability nearly equivalent to that of a human.

NEO's Hands | An API to the Physical World
https://www.1x.tech/discover/neos-hands




NEO is an AI-powered household helper humanoid robot announced in October 2025 by 1X Technologies, a company that develops humanoid robots for home environments. It has a body that is 5 feet 6 inches (approximately 168 cm) tall and weighs 66 pounds (approximately 30 kg). It can lift objects up to 154 pounds (approximately 70 kg) in place and carry objects up to 55 pounds (approximately 25 kg). It also features five human-like fingers and palms, enabling it to perform the delicate movements necessary for household chores.

AI-powered household helper humanoid robot 'NEO' appears, available for a monthly subscription of approximately 76,000 yen - GIGAZINE



NEO's Hands, announced on July 9, 2026, is a new type of hand that enables an 'API to the physical world,' evolving NEO's hands to a level of dexterity comparable to, or even surpassing, human hands. You can see just how precisely NEO's Hands can move by watching the following video.

NEO's Hands - YouTube


According to 1X Technologies, NEO's Hands is designed to remove the hardware limitations of what humanoid robots can actually do, leaving data as the only factor limiting their performance. They claim that by freeing the AI model from being limited by dexterity, it can perform almost any task that a human can do with their hands, possessing the precision, adaptability, and gentleness required in real-world environments.



Most robot hands are 'write-only devices' that operate on commands, and they rarely provide meaningful feedback. This is because the transmission mechanism is the reason; with common gear ratios of 100:1 or 200:1, friction absorbs the contact force before it can be transmitted to the motor, so the hand's joints essentially lose their sense of touch.

On the other hand, NEO's Hands operates with a low gear ratio of approximately 5:1 to 15:1, and all 25 degrees of freedom—22 in the fingers and palm and 3 in the wrist—are natively force-controlled, allowing them to function as an 'input device' like a sensor. 1X Technologies calls this 'force transparency,' stating that it can directly detect external forces.



Furthermore, NEO's Hands possess proprioception, meaning that, just as a person can touch their fingertips together with their eyes closed, the hands are constantly aware of their own position and can recognize and control their location without relying on sight. The joints are allocated degrees of freedom in accordance with the anatomical structure of the human hand, such as the thumb having opposition to the other fingers to grasp objects, and are designed to achieve an optimal balance between human-like maneuverability and ease of manufacturing, control, and maintenance. As a result, they can perform countless intricate and delicate tasks, such as assembling LEGO blocks, picking up tiny screws and coins, and separating grapes from bunches without crushing them.




In addition, its detailed tactile sensing capabilities enable real-time operation, such as detecting when an object starts to slide and responding accordingly.

1X Technologies states that 'hands that learn by touching everything must be designed to withstand touching everything without breaking,' highlighting the durability of NEO's Hands. NEO's Hands are built for continuous use and maintain their performance even after millions of operation cycles. They are also food-safe and IP68 waterproof, allowing you to wash your hands immediately after use.

1X Technologies states it has the capacity to produce 10,000 NEO's Hands by 2026. NEO's Hands are equipped with sensory organs, and are expected to improve their performance through interaction with the world as they are used.

Bernd Bonicci, CEO of 1X Technologies, said, 'Our goal was not simply to create hands that looked good. These hands are the culmination of intensive engineering efforts to make humanoids truly useful. We designed them to rival, or even surpass, human capabilities in every important aspect. With these hands, NEO has reached a significant milestone. Robots can now do what humans do with their hands every day. This is what the industry has been waiting for.'

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in AI,   Video,   Hardware, Posted by log1e_dh