At the beginning of July, at the "AI for the Benefit of Humanity" Global Summit, nine AI humanoid robots appeared on the same stage. This is the world's first press conference attended by humanoid robots. Faced with a series of questions raised by reporters, these robots calmly gave their own answers, saying that they would not "grab human jobs", but hoped to cooperate with humans to solve global problems.

The appearance of humanoid robots is not only a breakthrough in AI technology, but also a leap forward in the AI industry.

We're on the cusp of AI tools like ChatGPT bringing massive changes to our lives, and the company behind the product doesn't appear to be planning to stop there. In March of this year, OpenAI Venture Fund led the investment in the Norwegian robotics company 1X, with a financing scale of US$23.5 million.

As an important application field of AI technology, humanoid robots demonstrate the development level and cutting-edge direction of AI. So, what are the advantages and characteristics of the robot company 1X, which has won the favor and support of many investors?

01 1X models work at 1X speed

1X, full name 1X Technologies, is an engineering and robotics company that produces robots with human-like locomotion and behavior capabilities.

Since the company's founding in 2014, 1X has developed unique actuator systems and artificial intelligence with the goal of creating robots with practical applications to augment human labor around the world. In 2022, the company made its first commercial breakthrough, signing a distribution contract for at least 140 robots to provide security for commercial sites in the United States.

As the former CTO of 1X, Nicholas Nadeau played a central role in developing humanoid robots to augment the human workforce across industries.

Led by Nicholas Nadeau, 1X created the EVE humanoid, a robot with two arms, two eyes and a four-wheeled chassis. EVE can interact with its environment like a human, performing multiple tasks in various environments, such as patrolling, monitoring, carrying, etc., which makes it ideal for use in labor-short markets.

1X is headquartered in Norway and with a vision to grow its global workforce, Nicholas Nadeau led the doubling of its workforce in Norway, the US, Canada and Italy to over 50 people. He also established the Montreal headquarters, focusing on robotics, AI/ML, VR and computer vision, and managed the Halodi Robotics Canada Inc subsidiary.

According to the official website of 1X Technologies, the company has completed a $10 million Series A financing led by OpenAI and a $24 million A2 round of financing. The funding will allow the company to scale up the business, continue research and development, and launch its bipedal robot model, NEO, which is expected to be released in 2024.

Originally called Halodi Robotics, the company was founded by CEO Bernt Øyvind Børnich to enable a new solution: a universal robot created with new design principles and technology that is safe enough to leave the factory floor, where we Work in a world**.

On March 6, 2023, Halodi Robotics announced the name change to 1X. 1X's name alludes to the company's growth and vision for the future, reflecting the team's unique capabilities in robotics. CEO Bernt Øyvind Børnich further elaborated on this vision, saying: “Our robots will eventually work alongside humans, one after the other. Unlike other robots that have to be slowed down to function, 1X models start at 1X. Work at speed. We are excited to begin this new chapter, and we look forward to continuing to deliver industry-leading products and services under our new brand."

With the company name change, 1X hits more milestones. The company, which aims to develop robots on a safe, capable platform, has deployed its first commercial robot, EVE, on a large scale in the United States this year, with the goal of producing 140 robots in Norway and Dallas, Texas.

02 Commercial robot products

1X has focused on the increasingly scarce labor market since 2014, aiming to develop robots that can safely collaborate with humans in everyday scenarios. In order to achieve this goal, 1X engineers have developed a bionic system motor that resembles human muscles. These motors provide the high power and low-energy interaction required by humanoid robots, enabling robots to lift heavy objects in warehouses or easily pick up a laptop and hand it to a human.

In addition to safety, the humanoid robot developed by 1X not only has a realistic-looking LED "face", but also incorporates advanced artificial intelligence technology. And two of the high-profile bots are EVE and NEO.

Workplace Robot EVE

In early 2022, 1X launched the first commercial robot product in the medical industry, the medical assistant robot EVE, and tested it at Sunnaas Hospital in Norway. EVE is a robot on wheels that performs logistical tasks in hospitals so that nursing staff can spend more time caring for patients. Currently, EVE is already on the market, and hundreds of units have been sold.

EVE robots are equipped with advanced surveillance systems including cameras, motion detectors and alarm sensors. It's capable of performing tasks like bartending and nursing with a human-like arm, and it's already in use in the United States.

In addition, EVE also acts as a security guard at two industrial sites. Unlike other security robots, the EVE robot has a head, face and arms, and can navigate autonomously. It is said that if another robot behaves abnormally, EVE can enter its system and control it through "virtual reality" technology.

1X founder and CEO Bernt Øyvind Børnich said their humanoid robot EVE has been in the works since April this year and has exceeded expectations. This is the first humanoid robot in human history that has truly successfully entered the workplace, surpassing the much-publicized Tesla robot, which shows its importance.

Highly Intelligent Android Assistant NEO

NEO, a bipedal humanoid robot, is described as safe, balanced and intelligent - a highly intelligent Android assistant. NEO's groundbreaking features include a safety-first design, ensuring the robot's soft, organic mechanical structure makes it safer both inside and out. NEO's high-strength balance performance is achieved through hands and feet designed to mimic human muscle movements. Currently, NEO has been able to walk through doors, climb stairs and perform tasks naturally and accurately.

A distinctive feature of NEO is its human-like intelligent behavior. By combining a carefully designed body with an advanced artificial intelligence mind, 1X enables users to interact naturally with NEO. By incorporating a large language model (probably a fine-tuned version of GPT-4), users can communicate with NEO in an intuitive way. The robot's artificial intelligence capabilities combined with multimodal capabilities open up new possibilities for assisting and increasing productivity.

Furthermore, NEO's capabilities go beyond industrial tasks. While excelling in areas such as security, logistics, manufacturing and machinery operation, NEO also helps families. The robot can perform household tasks such as cleaning, tidying, and provide support for people with limited mobility, fully demonstrating its versatility and adaptability.

The fusion of artificial intelligence sensors and robotic bodies will drive the continuous development of NEO. This fusion allows the robot to continuously learn, improve, and become smarter over time. By fusing artificial intelligence senses with physical form, NEO gains the ability to sense and understand its surroundings, enhancing its advanced cognitive abilities. 1X claims that NEO will open for pre-orders at the end of 2023.

**Why a humanoid robot? **

Why did 1X choose to focus on the development of humanoid robots?

The company's founders explained that the advantage of humanoid robots is their ability to better mimic the way humans and animals interact with the world. People tend to be more likely to form an emotional connection and trust with robots that resemble their own shape and behavior, making humanoid robots more suitable as companions and caregivers.

In addition, humanoid robots with two feet have more advantages in moving and adapting to complex environments. Four feet often make people feel grotesque, and it is precisely because they can better imitate the gait and walking style of the human body that they have more advantages. High flexibility and stability.

03 The next trillion industry?

**Fill workforce vacancies or replace humans? **

1X founder and CEO Bernt Øyvind Børnich has said it will disrupt the labor market and have an impact on the future of work. Some people may think that robots are replacing humans in all walks of life, increasing the unemployment rate. But the 1X robot was designed from the ground up to help solve high-risk or repetitive work problems.

The World Economic Forum released the "Future of Employment Report" in 2020. It is estimated that by 2025, the introduction of new technologies and changes in the division of labor between humans and machines will lead to the displacement of 85 million jobs, but it will also bring 97 million new jobs**. The cue word engineer spawned by the AI wave is a good example.

1X emphasizes the importance of deploying robots in the real market and the necessity of integrating into daily life. In addition to replacing the vacancies of security personnel, the robots developed by 1X will also serve as medical nurses, family nannies, and even various daily work and life activities in the future. So as to bring greater value to human society.

**Is robot avatars the way to AGI? **

OpenAI focuses on the development of AGI, and the vision that humanoid robots are an inevitable choice for AGI (General Artificial Intelligence) clearly agrees with 1X. But in the research community, people are discussing whether humanoid robots are a prerequisite for achieving AGI.

Some researchers believe that the incarnation of human beings, with the ability to interact with the environment and perceive information, is crucial to the development of AGI. Humanoid robots can have intelligent brains, and can integrate and participate in society without changing. But there are also some people who believe that AGI is still possible without a "body". However, there is currently not enough research to support these two contrasting views.

Reasons for opposition are often questions about ethical security and data computing. When 1X Robotics cultivates and improves the intelligence level of its robots, it will instill basic principles and norms, and regularly evaluate the results of behaviors to correct possible deviations in a timely manner.

With OpenAI's investment, 1X's computing power will undoubtedly be further improved. OpenAI's various technologies have also been used by 1X, such as using OpenAI Gym to train autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance, realizing communication between its robot and ROS (Robot Operating System), and using GPT-3 to improve natural language interactive capabilities. In the future, access to the multimodal large model GPT-4 may allow its robots to generate and understand images, further broadening the field at the application level.

Market Competition and 1X Advantage

According to Markets and Markets, the market capacity of humanoid robots is expected to reach US$17.3 billion in 2027, with a compound growth rate of 63.5%. The production market for humanoid robots is highly competitive. In addition to 1X, there are Optimus developed by Tesla and Ameca with rich expressions.

EVE, produced by 1X, defeated Tesla's Optimus (Optimus Prime) robot in a humanoid robot competition in May this year. EVE integrates various technologies such as VR and AI, and has powerful anthropomorphic execution capabilities, and can complete various human delicate activities such as turning, opening doors, and lifting objects. The dexterity of humanoid robots is at the heart of their ability to replicate the activities required by humans in everyday life, and 1X has gone to great lengths to improve the robots' perception and precision.

Too expensive is still a defect of humanoid robots "flying into ordinary people's homes". At present, 1X has not announced the specific price of its robot, but according to some reports and speculations, its price will appear higher than others. Of course, this is also the inevitable result of high performance, but if 1X wants to further open up the market, how to find the balance between price and performance still needs further research.

04 The next technology industry revolution

In the future, with the continuous progress and application of AI technologies such as ChatGPT, as well as the participation of industry giants such as technology and automobiles, humanoid robots are expected to penetrate into various subdivisions and become the next important application scenario of AI. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, one of the biggest winners in the current AI wave, believes that Embodied AI (Embodied AI) will bring AI’s next trillion business opportunities**.

What we need to pay attention to is that although humanoid robots can provide many conveniences and services for humans, and can even replace or assist humans to do some difficult or dangerous things, they also have some risks. For example, it will cause an increase in unemployment, violate human privacy and rights, and may even attack human beings.

Whether humanoid robots will become the direction of the next scientific and technological industrial revolution depends on how we rationally develop and utilize them. This requires us to pay attention to the impact of technological progress while pursuing technological innovation.

Is it an enemy or a friend? The answer lies in our hands.

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