Even as humanoid robots get more and more advanced, you might have noticed one major deficiency: they’re not exactly warm and friendly. Some robots are very good at running, but give off a sense of sleek engineering rather than a more organic sensation. Others, such as those with simulated skin, go a bit too far in the opposite direction; think the uncanny valley magnified by a factor of 10.
It’s worth noting here that robotics and AI company 1X Technologies has roots in Norway, a country that knows a thing or two about coziness. The company’s latest robot prototype, Neo Gamma, comes complete with a 3D-knitted bodysuit that gives off what could be called “turtleneck vibes.” As Jennifer Hahn pointed out at Dezeen, there’s a good reason for that: 1X wanted something that would look more at home in, well, someone’s home.
In announcing the new helper robot on social media, 1X posted a series of photos showing it carrying out various chores, including vacuuming a room and cleaning a window. The company is now looking to test the prototype in a home environment.
In addition to cleaning, 1X’s website also suggests that Neo Gamma could handle tutoring and more conversational functions as well. In an interview with Dezeen, the company’s CEO Bernt Børnich argued that a home setting offered more ways for a robot to learn and evolve.
“For humanoid robots to truly integrate into everyday life, they must be developed alongside humans, not in isolation,” Børnich said. And there’s nothing wrong with looking a little stylish when they do so.
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